Daniel & Adrienne #67

“I’m not a cripple,” Adrienne hissed as she smacked his hand away as he reached out to help her stand from her desk chair. At a little over thirty six weeks pregnant he couldn’t understand for the life of him why she insisted on continuing to work. Yes, there was Anubis, but there was always Anubis but they were no longer alone. Sam had already gotten the wheels in motion, and a team of Aetlans was due to arrive any day now and Jonas was due out of a meeting with the reinstated archaeological staff in about twenty minutes. 

Adrienne COULD rest. 

“So, I’m treating you like a cripple by helping my very pregnant wife stand?” Daniel asked, making a face at Adrienne.  He stood back, letting her struggle, flashbacks of an ice pack held in place by a black belt racing through his head. Finally she looked back up at him, grumbling under her breath in cajun, giving up he can tell. 

“Now can I help you?” he asked again. No longer protesting, she reached up for his hand, scowling the entire time.  He couldn’t help it; she looked so ridiculous and pitiful that he started to laugh just as she interlocked their fingers. 

“I hate you,” Adrienne spat, trying not to smile.  

“I know you do,” he answered, pulling her to her feet.  Pausing, she tried to reach over to close her computer lid but found that her reach was no longer long enough and in that instant, her mood soured even more.  

“I can’t take it anymore,” Adrienne whined, walking around her desk to the computer and packing up from there. At least she was leaving the lab; he couldn’t make her go lay down, but if he could get her to at least stop working that would be one small victory.

“It’s not that much longer Ad and besides, Carolyn said she could induce you at any time you liked, if you’re feeling uncomfortable; Nicky is ready...” Daniel spoke carefully knowing what Adrienne’s reaction would be.  Her take on medicine was at least as strict as her diet. As if she hadn’t been cautious enough about her own food intake before, being pregnant had made her that much crazier. She had given up coffee, which hadn’t been pretty for the first few weeks. Daniel tried to rationalize with her that she had been drinking coffee for the first ten weeks of her pregnancy, practically the entire first trimester, but that just upset her even more.  

She’d convinced herself that because of this Nicholas would come out with three eyes or something else insane from one of that damn pregnancy books, but, as he expected, she glared at him, her cajun eyes boring into him. 

“I am NOT letting her pump me with drugs just for my own person comfort.  It’s UNNATURAL!!” Adrienne shrieked, her bottom lip shaking, leaning over onto him and starting to cry.  No, Daniel thought to himself, what’s unnatural is the monster you have become these past few days, but he bit his tongue.  Sure, it had been a long hard road, but about the time Adrienne hit week thirty six she completely fell apart. She cried over burnt toast, raged at him over leaving the toilet seat up and sat in unmoved silence in front of some of the most disgusting horror movies he had ever seen. Carolyn assured him that it was hormonal, that’d she’d return to normal once the baby was born and he was hoping so. 

He really missed his best friend. 

Not knowing what else to do, Daniel wrapped his arms around her and kissed her head, hoping that something, anything would happen to get this show rolling.  Adrienne was due in less than four weeks, just twenty six short days, but with her refusal to be induced, time meant nothing.  

At this point he would rather deal with a crying baby than this creature walking around in Adrienne’s body.  

The sirens went off all around them, Walter’s voice coming over the intercom and Adrienne looked up, pulling away but Daniel just held her tighter.  

“Not a chance,” he stated, gazing into her eyes as she gave him that dirty look, yet again.  

“In just a few weeks you’ll be back to normal ja-wer. Then, once you’re cleared you can go back to whatever craziness that you deem necessary for your life and I will watch our son while you participate in said insanity,” he smiled at her, trying to joke, hoping she would stop crying, and it worked, somewhat, his very miserable wife sniffing in strongly. 

“You like to make me feel bad, don’t you?” she muttered, laying her head on him once more, arms slipping around his waist. 

“No, I’m here to bring you back to reality,” he said, grabbing her bag and throwing it over his shoulder. They waited at the door for the marines to rush by, no announcement accompanying the alarms making even Daniel curious. 

“Someone could be hurt,” she said peering back at him, his head already shaking in the negative as he jotted a quick note to Jonas, letting him know that he was taking her home. 

“Yep, and Dr. Grumpypants can deal with that, not YOU,” he stated, grabbing her hand so they could leave.  She’d come, with complaint, but she’d come, so he pushed his luck, tapping the button for the parking lot rather than the floor of their on base quarters. There was grumbling, a few choice cajun words, but she followed, slowly climbing into the Jeep, letting him take her home.   

*****

“Adrienne, why don’t you just let me induce labor, then we can stop all of this?” Dr. Lam asked, standing at her stubborn patient’s bedside, her eyes darting back to her husband for support, but Daniel shook his head, clearly unhappy. 

“It’s not that bad, really, it was just a little hard to get up this morning.  Daniel had a stupid panic attack,” Adrienne insisted, making a face at him.  

“Your hips weren’t in place, and not just shifting like before but you couldn’t MOVE for an hour! Tell me that’s normal,” Daniel fussed, crossing his arms across his chest and glaring down at his. She wasn’t going to give in; he knew she wasn’t, he just hoping that Carolyn would overrule her with a good medical reason. Ignoring him, Adrienne looked back at Dr. Lam, determination in her face.

“No, I’m going to do this natural and safe. Period.  He dragged me in here hoping that I would just let you drug me. Not happening,” Adrienne stated as she tried to get down, failing miserably. Sighing, Daniel stepped in to help her and she didn’t fight him this time, her palm brushing his chest as she slipped down from the table. 

“Well, Adrienne, you’re not dilating or showing any signs of prelabor. This baby has no intention of showing himself to us just yet, so if you choose not to let me induce you’re just putting yourself through misery,” Dr. Lam said, not taking the side he wanted her to take, his side, the one that wanted her to say “Adrienne, I believe that it is in your best interest to induce labor.” 

“Then he’s not ready to come yet. Period. He wants to come on time,” Adrienne stated as Dr. Lam made a face at her.  

Damn stubborn Adrienne.

She started to leave the infirmary, not waiting for Daniel, who peered back at Carolyn, shaking his head as he did.

“I’m sorry, she’s just on edge lately. She really does appreciate everything that you have done.  I know that dealing with a pregnant woman wasn’t something they told you to expect when you took the job,”  he told her honestly.  

“I don’t think anything they told me could have prepared me for this job,” Carolyn responded and Daniel started to walk away, not wanting Adrienne to get too far ahead. 

“Daniel,” she said quickly before he could get completely through the door and he paused, turning around to face her. 

“Try rubbing her ankles. That is supposed to work,” she suggested, “Or spicy food, castor oil, and, well, sex. Actually, I’d try sex to be honest, not like you two aren’t well versed in that.”

She was trying to joke and Daniel’s face flushed in understanding. Like THAT was going to happen; Adrienne had been an emotional ball of nasty all week, he really didn’t see them getting intimate at all for a good long while. 

“Thanks Carolyn. I’ll call you if there are any developments,” Daniel muttered, turning to leave. Maybe he could try that, actually, maybe a little time alone at home would be enjoyable and start things along... 

Frowning, wondering how to try any of her suggestions without his wife catching on to what he was doing, Daniel rushed out of the lab, catching Adrienne at the elevator.  

“Thanks for waiting,” he said to her sarcastically and hit the button going up, with every intention of returning to the parking lot to take her home.  

“I waddle slowly, I figured I ought to get a head start,” Adrienne replied, growled really, hitting the button to go down instead. Crossing his arms, Daniel looked down at her, reading her mind.  

“No,” he said and hit the up arrow again to take them to the parking garage, “we are going home. Carolyn suggested a bath, maybe I can rub your feet, get you comfortable...” he suggested, peering over his shoulder to see that they were alone before taking a step forward, his lips lightly brushing the back of her neck. 

“Nice try Indy,” she pulled back growling, “if you were just a normal man I’d suspect you had true romantic intentions. But you’re not, and I know for a fact prostaglandins can soften the cervix and induce labor.” 

Daniel made a face. 

“No sex for you and I’m NOT going back to bed,” she added.  

“You do realize that what I’m suggesting is natural right Ad?” he continued to argue, although if this is where their conversation was headed he most certainly wasn’t going to be in the mood for anything, as the elevator doors opened. He started to step forward, let her go down to the lab and visit with Jonas for a bit when there was a loud buzz in Daniel’s pocket.  He stepped back, holding up a finger for Adrienne to wait a moment, stepping away from the elevator doors to take the call.  

“Sam, hey, what’s up?” he asked, noting the name of the screen.  Adrienne walked closer to eavesdrop on the conversation, nosey he could tell, Daniel frowning at both her insistence on continuing to act like she wasn’t about to give birth.  

“No, I’m on base, well, we’re on base,” he answered, cryptically, intentionally, trying to keep Adrienne at bay, “No she’s fine, just stubborn.  No, no sign of the baby just yet.  Carolyn has no idea; she say’s Adrienne’s not even dilating yet,” Daniel continued his conversation as Adrienne tried to lean in to hear what Sam was saying. He knew that she hated being the topic of conversation but he shooed her away trying to listen. She made a face, crossing her arms and backing up, preparing to start spelling rude things into his hand. 

“Oh wow.  No, I agree that does seem serious.  He’s here? Now? Sam, I know what Carolyn said but I just can’t. Alright, that’s fair. Ok. No, I’ll call Teyla, see if she can sit with her. Alright, I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Daniel was breathing out as he hung up the phone. Ok, yeah, a dispute among the tribes did not bode well for naquada mining, something they needed if they wanted to continue to manufacture their vaccines against Anubis’ insanity.

Now it was time to see what Adrienne’s reaction would be. 

“Sha, what’s wrong?” Adrienne asked, putting her hand on his arm as Daniel shook his head in annoyance, both at the situation and at the fact she was not going to be happy...

“Chaka’s here.  The mining colony was attacked by another tribe of Unas that he doesn’t know.  They want control of the mines and the profits and all production is at a standstill. He’s trying to set up some sort of negotiation because he thinks they are working on there own accord, but we’re not so sure,” Daniel explained, Adrienne nodding instantly.  

“Go then, go see what you need to do,” she hit the arrow for the elevator once more, the down arrow, Daniel shooting her that look. Ok, she wasn’t mad, but he knew her, she was taking advantage of this and was going to go work or do something equally as stupid. 

Stubborn pain in the ass, he thought, as Adrienne simply smiled.  

“And I don’t need Teyla to babysit me, you heard Dr. Grumpypants.  Nicky has no intention of showing his face just yet,” Adrienne added, Daniel maintaining his glare.  

“Babysit and look out for your hips deciding to go on vacation again are two entirely different things,” he argued, Adrienne stepping into the elevator as it opened a second time.

“You haven’t carried this inside of you for nine months. I have,” she countered as Daniel stepped in behind her.

“I did for a week. It sucked and you made Jack babysit me. You’re bigger now, further along and when I want someone to look out for you, you ignore and snap at me for caring,” he tried to fuss carefully, started to get slightly annoyed with her attitude. She didn’t answer, no fighting, no tears, nothing, just hit the B button on the panel to carrying him to the basement. She paused for a moment, slamming her finger into the “2.” 

“Where do you think you are going?” he asked, crossing his arms across himself and peering down at her.  

Don’t fight with a pregnant woman Daniel, she’s just gonna go hysterical...

“To go annoy Teal’c,” she replied sweetly, that look on her face he could never say no to.

Daniel gave up, knowing that until he had child in hand, there were some wars that he was just not going to win.  

*****

At the second floor, Adrienne leaned up to kiss him quickly and waddled herself out of the elevator, heading for the main training room. Daniel yelled a quick I love you down the hall and continued to ride the elevator down to meet with Sam and Chaka.  

*****

The Unas was dressed in his full tribal leader gear as Daniel had now come to expect him to wear. It was refreshing, gave him an authoritative look, one that terrified Robert Woolsey. 

That just made Daniel love the entire get-up even more.

He approached his old friend and they clasped forearms, pulling him into a half embrace.  

“Greetings Daniel,” Chaka said in his broken English, stepping away, that green mouth drawn into the best grin possible. 

‘Greetings Chaka,” Daniel replied, “It pains me to hear of your troubles.” 

Solemnly, the Unas nodded, putting his head down, able to express to Daniel his true feeling concerning the situation. 

“Take a seat, tell me what happened?” Daniel motioned for Chaka to sit so they could get started.

*****

“AdrienneJackson!” Teal’c’s voiced boomed across the workout room. The three jaffa cadets, part of the new SG training program, another change Sam had been quick to implement, immediately, stopped their advance on him. They dropped to their knees to wait, bowing their heads in a dramatic and marital arts type manner. Smiling, the great warrior, dashed over to Adrienne clearly happy to see her.  

“Does the baby come?” he asked, smiling from ear to ear.  Since his granddaughter had been born a little over a year ago now, Teal’c had become quite the fan of babies, and, since Adrienne had announced they were having a boy, Teal’c had also began to contemplate other things. 

It was actually really a sweet notion, and would give Adrienne a set of in-laws that she really wouldn’t mind spending future holidays with...  

“Not yet,” she sighed, “It seems he’s a bit stubborn, like his father,” she added.  

“Indeed,” Teal’c responded, chuckling in agreement. He looked over his shoulder back to the young men he had been training to dismiss them and they stood quickly, bowing low and dashing to the showers.   

“Where is DanielJackson?” he asked as he returned his attention to Adrienne.

“Working, where else would he be?” she answered, rolling her eyes. Teal’c started to object, Adrienne was sure he was thinking that Daniel should remain by her side up until the moment of birth, but he had said that Adrienne was more like a Jaffa woman than a human woman, strong and independent.  

“I just wanted to come see how Nia’lyn was doing and just stretch my legs,”  Adrienne said instead of arguing, knowing what buttons to push when it came to Teal’c.  

As she anticipated, he immediately launched into a play by play of the past month of Nia’lyn’s life, most of which Adrienne had heard from the moment Teal’c and Ishta took up a new residence here on base, but it would stop the old warrior from worrying about her.  She ran her arm through his and pulled him a bit, indicating that he needed to take her for a walk. Teal’c smiled and followed, continuing to talk along the way.  

This, she thought, I needed just to spend time with friends today, after last night. 

She hadn’t told Daniel the extent of her discomfort because she didn’t want to worry him. 

They had returned back to work, immediately, Sam calling John Sheppard right after their briefing to ask him to return. It had taken a week, he didn’t want to abandon his brother outright, but once the Atlantis crew was back at the SGC she had most of them transferred immediately to the Atlantis. John was overseeing the rebooting of the facility, Rodney and Zalenka taking care of the more technical aspects of the operation. Carson had been reinstated at the base doctor while Jennifer asked to remain at Johns Hopkins to finish out her contract. Sam also requested that Ann Mardsen lead the SG teams being reassigned there, assisting John in making the crew whole once more. Teyla had asked to stay behind until things were settled, not wanting to uproot Torrin, something Adrienne understood completely, as did Ronon. He didn't give a reason for wanting to stay, but Adrienne knew, and it made her smile. 

In theory that should have been a relief, they had the weapon they needed to battle Anubis, were charging ZPM’s for back up and for Antarctica and Carolyn was making major headway in adapting the DNA cocktail to keep them safe from biological attacks. Jonas had settled in wonderfully with Cam, so Adrienne no longer felt guilty about that change and Daniel really couldn’t be any sweeter, her aunt either, who called every day to check on them. 

But that wasn’t the problem. 

Adrienne Jackson was in pain, terrible pain. Her back hurt, her head hurt, her hips, every part of her body. She could barely eat and she was unsure as to how much sleep she had gotten in the past week, but it was an amount small enough that she could could the hours on one hand. She was dizzy, exhausted and nauseous but she didn’t want to say a word. 

The Aetlans were coming, the Ktaenam already borrowing various things that had been removed in the closure, the Jaffa and Tok’ra both in contact once more. There were worlds to be saved, future targets, Langara, Earth. 

Discomfort in the final stages of her pregnancy paled in comparison to the motion of the universe around her. 

Forcing a smile as Nicky slammed into her again, she clutched Teal’c’s arm tighter, continuing their walk down the hall. 

*****

“Sam, I don’t think there’s another option,” Daniel said as he sat on the end of her desk, picking his fingernails.  Sam was leaning against the wall, looking through the glass at Chaka who was awaiting a decision, shaking her head. 

“Daniel, what about Addy and the baby?” she asked, Daniel finally looking up and rolling his eyes. 

“I’m beginning to think Adrienne likes to be pregnant.  Carolyn says she’s not even dilating yet and Adrienne refuses drugs.  It’s just twenty four hours Sam, I really don’t think anything will happen and if I discover that this is Anubis related, I’ll come right back for reinforcements,” Daniel argued.  

Knowing he had a point, if there was anyone that could help solve this problem it was him, Sam sighed, stepping away from the wall, heading back to the briefing room. She paused at the door, peering back at him, knowing as well that he wasn’t going to really leave Adrienne to fend for herself. 

“I’ll get Cassie to go home with her, if that’s alright, so Jonas can keep working. But YOU are going to tell her, not me.  I want no part of this when she explodes,” Sam requested. 

“She’ll cuss me out, so what else is new? She’ll fight, swear, then go into a worry fit about the Unas and cry,” Daniel answered, standing himself to deliver Chaka the news. 

Then he would deal with his wife.  

She’d understand; she’d been telling him since they found out they were going to have a baby that she was capable of doing things alone and that he needed to not hover over her so bad.  Besides, she was such a caring person that she wouldn’t hesitate to insist that he help others...

She didn’t take it as well as he expected.  

“You’re going where!?!” she screamed at him in the lab, Jonas slipping on headphones to try to give them some privacy. 

“Adrienne, we have both been to P3X-888 tons of times.  This is cut and dry.  If it’s going to take more than just one meeting or there is anything the slightest bit fishy, I’ll report back to Sam and we’ll come up with a plan that doesn’t involve me leaving D.C. For now, though, I have to agree with Chaka, as a honorary member if his tribe and a SGC official, I think it’s best I join him to meet with them,” Daniel tried to explain, approaching her carefully, reaching for her arms.

She pulled back like she was going to slug him, making him flinch, but she didn’t, despite the fact that her entire body was shaking, her teeth grinding.

“Daniel, I canna believe dat ys be entertainin’ dis?! Ya’ve ‘overed ova me like ah bee ta honey fah weeks ahn now ya jus waltzin’ ya ass drough dat damn gate like nothin’ is gettin’ ready ta ‘appen!! No, Imma jus gonna ‘ave ya goddam baby!!” 

By the time she got to the last sentence, she was screaming at full volume, so much so that Daniel caught Jonas slipping out of the lab out of the corner of his eye mouthing ‘Good luck’ as he passed. Keeping his cool, Daniel just sat there and let her get it all out and once he was confident that she had finished, he spoke. 

“Ad, it’s one day. Even if you were in labor, I would still have time to go, evaluate the situation and return home before our son made his grand appearance, but you’re not.  There’s no indication that you’re even gonna start. In the meantime, I’m trying to prevent a war between two peoples and make sure that we don’t lose a very valuable naquadah supply,” he stressed the last sentence, hoping to appeal to her soft side, and it worked, the throbbing of the vein in her neck subsiding. 

“Daniel, I understand, I do.  It’s jus,” Adrienne started to stammer, face changing, and there went the waterworks accompanied by a blathering of cajun phrases and French apologies, a hormone driven breakdown that made him step forward, taking her into his arms. He started to remain quiet, let her cry, but there was something different now in her sobs, something not as hormonally driven. 

“What? Tell me, Adrienne if there’s something wrong I need you to tell me,” he whispered to her, kissing her head awaiting an answer.  She was shaking in his arms, holding onto him tightly, wetness forming at his chest.  

“I’m scared,” she said, tears streaming down her face as she peered up at him. 

“Ad, what are you scared of? I’m right here; I’m going to be right here, and I’ll be holding your hand during labor and delivery, I promise. This is either gonna be an easy fix or need a large scale intervention but either way I’ll be back before you know it,” he held tight to her letting her cry, but instead of calming down, she sobbed ever harder.  

“It’s gonna ‘urt, but not only dat,” Adrienne started, crumbling to pieces, “I’m afraid dat I’m gonna die, like my mom. Fifteen hundred women die each year in childbirth and that the percentage increases by twenty five percent when a close family member has died in childbirth.” 

“Ad, you’re quoting statistics that include third world countries.  I told you to stop looking up that crap on the internet,” he fussed at her gently and she sobbed harder, holding tightly to him. 

 “I won’t go,” he said, changing his mind as he saw her reaction. She was a mess and she needed him here, regardless of the fact that Carolyn said the baby wasn’t coming just yet, “I can see if Jack can go, or maybe if Jonas, yeah, let me go find Jonas, I bet he just went to get some coffee.”

“No, no, you’re right Indy. You need to go and make sure all hell doesn’t break loose over there. I’ll be fine with Cassie,” Adrienne said, pulling away, the tears shutting off as quickly as it started.  

Daniel was completely confused.  

“Adrienne, you know I’m bad at this. Don’t do this. Don’t you lie to me. If you really need me, just say so, and I’ll go and apologize to Chaka.  He was surprised I offered to come anyway considering your condition,” Daniel said, Adrienne shaking her head, stubbornly.

“I’m sure, but it’s just the hormones, I’m fine really. You need to hurry, go and get back.  Maybe me freaking out will make the little booger want to come,”  she answered, smiling. 

“Let’s hope not,” he kissed her one more time and continued packing his things as she sat down into her chair, watching him in silence. 

*****

He hadn’t minded in the least that Adrienne had insisted to go with him to the gate, although he really wanted her to rest as soon as he was gone. Cassie arrived before Daniel had finished getting ready and offered to take Adrienne home then and there, but she refused and wanted to walk him to the gate and see him off. Considering her performance earlier, he didn’t argue, he did like it when she saw him off and he didn’t want to send her home with Cassie in that state.  

At this point, he wouldn’t wish that on his worst enemy.  

When the three of them arrived at the gate, Cassie following, taking her job as nursemaid very seriously, Chaka was already waiting.  He approached Adrienne and greeted her placing his hands on either side of her face, that grin that for so long had scared the daylights out of her. 

“Greetings Addy mate,” he said, touching foreheads with her.  She smiled back, still not liking her Unas designation, that the word ‘mate’ had been added to the end of Addy, and she made a note to talk to Daniel about the role of women in the tribe at a later date.  

Waiting until Chaka had greeted his wife, fussing over her belly as expected, Daniel said a few things to Chaka in the language of the Unas, the tribal leader nodding in agreement before turning to face Adrienne. 

“Last chance ja-wer, just say the word,” he whispered softly, bringing his hand to her cheek, wanting to make sure before he went through the gate.  She smiled so sweetly, grabbing his hand, holding it to her face before bringing it to her lips, kissing his fingertips that he knew she was going to be alright. 

“Do you want me to say that I need you to stay?” she asked, even quieter, giving him an out if he wanted one which as bad as he did, as bad he wanted to stay here with her, sure that she was comfortable, maybe figure out a way to induce labor, he couldn’t and they both knew he couldn’t.

They stood, gazing into one another’s eyes as they could hear the sounds of the gate activated, the surge of electric air surrounding them, Daniel’s blues sparkling in the light of the wormhole.  

“No, I just don’t want to be sleeping on the sofa when I get home,” Daniel tried to joke, but she could see the worry in his eyes. He was afraid that she would be angry, that something would happen. For as much as his job and work meant to him Adrienne knew in her heart that he would throw away everything for her and for their family if she only asked. 

She peeked around the room, Sam in the observation tower and a few personnel milling around, only Chaka here to pay any real attention. Leaning forward, she reached for his face, bringing his lips to hers, her tongue into his mouth, a part of her considering his suggestion from earlier if they had the chance, if they could just race back to their quarters to kiss, taste, cuddle and touch. She heard a thud at her side, the sound of a backpack being dropped onto the gateroom floor and his hand slipped behind her head, Daniel kissing her back passionately, strongly, her stomach a flurry of nerves...

“Hurry back, I’ll be alright,” she said, pulling away before she could change her mind and beg him to stay. 

Stay with me Daniel. Let‘ go back to our room and make love and make this baby come...

Reaching down and tossing it back over his shoulder, Daniel adjusted his backpack, willing himself to concentrate on the negotiations and not the other thoughts racing through his head. He took a breath and turned to face Chaka, who had already started up the ramp peering back at his wife one last time before following. 

He heard Adrienne scream just as the wormhole enveloped him and he was blasted through space.  

****

Adrienne just panicked; she saw Daniel step through that gate and every awful thought she ever had raced through her mind.  

What if he never comes back? 

What if he never gets to meet his son? 

What if he dies and I die and Nicky never has parents? 

Her heart pounding in her chest, her stomach sick, her head throbbing, Adrienne was standing there shaking as Cassie approached when she just broke.  

“No Daniel wait!!!!” she screamed as she ran, as fast as she could with her enormous belly, into the shimmering pool of energy, Cassie frozen in shock as her patient just disappeared.

*****

As soon as Daniel was spit out on the other side he dashed for the DHD, controlling the emotions welling up inside as her voice racketed through his memory. 

“Daniel?” Chaka asked, racing to his side, the archaeologist frantic, not taking the time to speak slowly or in Unas for that matter. 

“That was Addy, she was shouting, she was screaming, our child might be coming, she could be in labor, I can’t go, I have to dial back home,” he stammered out, reaching slamming his hands on the symbols.  

“Come on dammit,” he swore at the gate, “close so I can dial back.” 

The gate remained opened, open for an eternity, Daniel’s mind creating the worst possible scenarios when Adrienne stumbled through, nearly crashing down onto the rugged ramp.

She came through the gate...

“Adrienne, what’s wrong? Are you in labor? Why did you come through? Where’s Cassie?”  he shouted as she rushed over to meet him.  She was crying, long red streaks running down her cheeks and she looked out of breath as if she had sprinted to the gate. 

She sprinted through the gate...

She leaned over, her hands to her thighs breathing heavily as he took her into his arms.

“No,” she coughed out, still crying, “I thought you might die and I would never see you again and I would have this baby and I’d have to raise him alone and I can’t do this alone and I can’t live without you and...”

She was rambling, an emotional mess, Daniel looking over his shoulder as Chaka as he held her, kissing her head, trying to calm her down. 

“With the Unas? Really Adrienne, this is nuts, I don’t have to do this. You’re a mess right now. Let me dial back, you can go through,” he said gently, stepped away from his sobbing wife to dial back home.

“Baby come?” Chaka asked, concerned, in English so Adrienne could understand.  

“No, not yet,” Daniel replied, dialing home quickly and initiating the gate. 

Nothing happened. 

“Dammit!” Daniel swore, strongly, glancing down at his watch. It had been a tight schedule today, he knew going in, with SG teams in and out for the next few days meeting and planning with allies. He had been told that he had exactly eighteen hours before he could dial back in, eighteen hours he had neglected to mention to Adrienne lest he upset her further. 

Which meant that she was stuck here, on P3X-888 for the next eighteen hours...

“Bring mate.  My mate care for her,” he offered, Daniel frowning in bewilderment. 

“”Mate? Chaka have mate? Since when?” Daniel now asked, this new piece of information flooring him completely. 

“Many cycles Daniel. Chaka good mate. Good like Addy,” the Unas answered with a smile, making Daniel chuckle. What a good friend he’d been, spending so much time on himself that he hadn’t even thought to ask Chaka how he was doing on the last missions; he’d spent his time worrying about mine output. 

“Chaka mate care for Addy. Take good care Addy,” his friend reiterated, nodding as he glanced at Adrienne to ensure that she understood the offer. 

That’s an idea, Daniel thought, it’s safe enough and lets me get this meeting over with. Considering the idea, he looked over at Adrienne who was showing no emotion at all, seeming to have no opinion on the matter.

“ Voulez-vous aller avec Chaka? Rester avec sa femme? (Do you want to go with Chaka? Stay with his wife? )” he asked.  She looked over at Chaka and then back at her husband, knowing that they couldn’t gate home and now feeling like a complete idiot. 

“Je ne veux pas que tu crois que je suis stupide,“ (I don’t want you to think I am stupid), she answered, her cheeks flushed as she gazed at the ground. 

“Il est trop tard pour cela. (It’s too late for that),” he teased, smiling, hoping that she would get the joke and not start crying.  

“I hate you,” she said, unable to stop smiling as she pushed past him, heading for the Unas village.  Chake nodded, pleased and followed, Daniel standing back watching the large creature happily toss his arm around Adrienne’s shoulder as she waddled slowly and uncomfortably to the structures in the distance.  

“I love you, you cajun pain in the ass,” Daniel muttered under his breath smiling, shouldering his backpack to trail behind them. 

*****

Cassie stood there as the wormhole closed vaguely aware of the shouting behind her, Sam screaming to Walter to dial again.  Footsteps echoed behind her, Cassie peered over at Sam as she came to a stop beside her.

“I’m sorry, she just pulled away and ran. It caught me off guard; I’m sorry Sam,” she stammered, fearful, but Sam just put her arm around the woman who was like a niece to her.  

“Ma’am,” Walter’s voice came over the loudspeaker, “We have a team trying to dial in; we’re going to have to wait a few hours, that will be our best chance to dial again given this schedule,” he said and Sam nodded, running the board through her head. SG-14 was due back, SG-7 leaving, Anise from the Tok’ra expected shortly after. 

Daniel was just gonna have to deal with the Unas and Adrienne all by himself. 

“Fine, he’s on his own until we can get out. Cassie, I need you to go to the infirmary and be ready; we’re dialing out as soon as we can, just in case. I don’t like a woman that far along on a planet that primitive,” she ordered, the young doctor rushing to pack as requested. 

*****

When they arrived at the colony it was obvious the impact the mining operation had on Unas, drastically different than their last visit in such a short time. The village no longer looked like an above ground version of the Unas colony that Adrienne remembered from her last visit or the many pictures in the planet file; this village looked like a cross between a medieval village and an SG dig site.  For a moment, Adrienne forgot about her predicament and went into work mode, grabbing Daniel’s arm.  

“Sha, I think we need to send a team from Anthropology here, the obvious impact of our presence here really should be analyzed further and maybe even a cross investigation between Chaka’s colony now versus our data from previous visits,” she whispered into his ear. 

Frowning, he stopped walked, glaring down at her.  

“Seriously Ad, that’s what you’re thinking about right now?” Daniel asked, making a face at her. 

“Yes. Do you see those structures? Do you think they are resistant to the hail? And the houses are smaller, are we talking single family units now?” she yammered on, her husband simply shaking his head. 

“What? You’ve been a bad influence,”  she smiled up at him. 

“Ja-wer, we need to have a discussion as soon as we get back regarding maternity leave and what that really means,” Daniel noted, reaching over and wrapping his arm around her as Chaka walked ahead, searching for his mate.  

*****

No sooner had they stepped foot in the village than the other various Unas that knew Daniel approached him, greeting him and reaching for Adrienne’s belly. Daniel was just glad his wife was open minded and didn’t seem to care, beaming as they fussed over the enormous bulge that was his son. 

Wow, it really isn’t that much longer now...

As he was talking to another villager they heard a shout and Adrienne looked up to see a large female Unas, basket of fruit under her arm, running toward them. 

“Looks like she’s excited about her task,” he said quietly, leaning over as Adrienne elbowed his side.  

“I don’t need a babysitter, so he better have told her that I just needed someone to hang out with,” she growled, waddling forward toward the excited female.  

“Look on the bright side, you can spend the day with a woman, bitching about me. It’s just like home!” he joked, Adrienne’s hand shooting up behind her, middle finger proudly displayed. 

“Addy be fine with Chaka mate,” his friend assured him with strong pat on the back. 

“I’m not worried about Addy Chaka, I’m worried about your mate,” the archaeologist shook his head, knowing that the normal Adrienne would have been very kind, but that hormonal mass of human being that was hobbling off in the distance, not so much. 

Trying not to think about it, Daniel cocked his head in the direction of the mines, where he was hoping to fix this mess, retain their allies and operation and head home.

*****

Adrienne was surprised that her ‘babysitter’ wasn’t bad at all.  

When she approached her smaller human counterpart, she simply gathered her up in her free arm and led her to a large tent on the outskirts of the village, no fussing or muttering or making a big deal over her being pregnant; she was just generally friendly.  Adrienne had to duck a bit to get inside, but it was a nice dwelling, seemingly more permanent than the guest house she had stayed in on previous visits to the planet.  

There was a central fire like in the other Unas homes she had seen and her desire for warmth drew her there, Chaka’s mate walking over to a low bed, grabbing some pillows and placing them on the floor by the fire for Adrienne to sit.  

“Thank you,” Adrienne said in English, cursing her pregnancy brain for making her blank on the few words she knew in Unas but she must have understood, nodding in understanding as the woman/creature helped her down slowly.  

“Baby good?” she asked, Adrienne nodding, too soon she thought as Nicky began to kick wilding inside of her. 

“Not good?” she inquired now, Adrienne growing frustrated, shaking her head no, not only at the baby but at the situation. The pain in her abdomen grew, Daniel was across the village doing god knows what, she was hungry, of course, and she didn’t even know this woman’s name.  

I’ll fix that first, Adrienne thought, pointing at herself.  

“Addy,” she said, thinking to herself how Daniel most likely had done the exact same thing so many years ago. Confused, ok she understood ‘thank you’ but not this, the Unas cocked her head. 

“Of course only our husbands speak each other’s languages,” Adrienne muttered to herself.  Trying to understand, Chaka’s mate turned her head to the other side and reached out, pointing a finger at Adrienne’s chest.  

“Daniel,”  she said and Adrienne shook her head, resisting the urge to stand and find her husband right at this very second. 

“He and I are seriously gonna have a talk about these women when we get back,” Adrienne said to herself, looking back up at the Unas, pointing at her chest again. 

“Addy,” she repeated and the Unas shook her head.  

“Daniel,” she replied, as Adrienne breathed out, grumbling to herself.

“No,no,” she clearly, trying to control her accent, finger pressed firmly into her own chest, “Addy” pointing then to her wedding band, “Daniel,” she explained.  

She repeated this a few times, slowing to differentiate between herself and the ring on her finger. Finally the Unas woman turned her head and stood, pointing to herself.  

“Zita,” she said and then as Adrienne had done pointed to her finger, “Chaka.” 

Adrienne smiled.  

“Fantastic Zita, now we’re rocking,”  Adrienne declared and started to rack her brain, hoping to figure out a way to explain her current discomfort.  

“Baby move,” she started, again simply, Zita beaming, getting down onto her knees like she was going to deliver the child but Adrienne just laughed, shaking her head, 

“No, not come. Move. Ow, Hurts,” she tried, Zita sitting back on her knees, scanning the room. 

“More soft?” she offered, Adrienne breathing out a sigh of relief. 

“Yes, please, thank you, more soft,” the cajun was feeling better already, and pretty accomplished as she navigated this cryptic conversation. Zita seemed to smile, standing again to go to their bed and bring over more pillows and cushions adjusting them around Adrienne, who, for once, allowed the pampering. More pain rocketed through her middle, Nicky clearly unhappy over something, Adrienne trying not to wince in pain. The kicking finally subsided, replaced with a new ache, one that she had felt earlier and dismissed. 

Hunger. 

“Addy good?” Zita asked, kneeling again, Adrienne shaking her head. 

“I’m hungry,” she replied, guilt washing over her. She’d dashed through the Stargate like an idiot, she had no backpack, not even one of her husband’s crappy Powerbars, and had been thrust upon this poor woman who she was sure had plenty of things to do herself rather than sit here all day with her. 

Zita apparently didn’t understand hungry. 

Frowning, Adrienne tried to think of the simplest English words she could think to express what she was feeling and politely request something to eat. 

“Baby not good. Want food. Zita have food?” Adrienne tried, hoping to convey that she wasn’t being demanding, that it was little Daniel junior inside of her that wanted nourishment. 

“Food for baby yes,” Zita replied, standing, hurrying to a cupboard behind the fire fishing for things, speaking more over her shoulder. 

“Addy want food baby no come,” she stated, Adrienne nodding in agreement. 

“Exactly, yes, he’s not coming so until he does I’m hungry, want food. P’tit boug wants more food then I would ever normally eat. 

“Good, Zita cook” the Unas declared, Adrienne feeling bad as she watched the woman assemble items on the cook fire. Not wanting to insult her customs, however, and feeling ravenously hungry, she leaned back against the pillows, closing her eyes as the smell of the food wrapped around her. 

*****

Seeing his friend content with his wife’s caretaker, Chaka led Daniel to where the opposing tribal leader was waiting.  

He didn’t look happy, Daniel didn’t need a meeting to figure that out, but it was a relief. Unless Anubis had done some clever work in cloning and taken a sudden interest in the Unas language, it was clear that this was exactly what it appeared to be, a dispute.

Chaka approached him, saluting respectfully and introduced Daniel, who nodded his head at the simple Unas greeting, bowing low as Chaka backed away.  Daniel took a deep breath and approached the large Unas warrior, hoping that this wasn’t going to take long.  

*****

Adrienne was shocked the meal smelled so good, making her even hungrier as it popped and crackled over the fire. The now cleaning Zita rushed back over to the strange mix of meats, spices and fruits to spoon it onto a plate, Adrienne thankful it was ready, bringing the platter over. Smiling she knelt, handing it to the starving archaeologist, indicating that she should eat by putting her hand to her mouth and Adrienne nodded, Nicky already kicking wildly.

“Smells good,” she said, reaching her fingers in and grabbing a small fistful, popping it into her mouth. 

It was heaven. 

Nicky agreed, the feeling in her stomach as though her son were doing somersaults, making Adrienne only eat faster, hoping her host would take this as a compliment to her cooking. She swallowed quickly, reaching again for more, pausing only to giggle. 

“Take your time sha,” she joked to herself, continuing to eat her meal. 

*****

The negotiations were not violent or disrespectful in any way, but they were certainly going nowhere.  Yuka, the leader of the rival tribe truly didn’t understand what was going on with Chaka’s tribe, only that they were considerably richer and Yuka felt his people were being slighted.  Daniel sat back, quiet, as he listening to Chaka try to explain again that his tribe was not becoming rich off of natural resources and trade that they were essentially working for what Daniel had begun to refer to as his tribe.  

Yuka, seeing Daniel as an inferior species, could not wrap his mind around the concept.  

Tired, he could see the other leader’s point of view but he wanted to get Adrienne back home, Daniel was trying to think of another way to explain this and maybe offer to allow a team to meet with Yuka’s people when a small Unas child came running into the tent, jumping up and down excitedly.  Chaka stood and approached the child, trying to calm him and then began to shout himself, what sounded to be the Unas word for ‘come’ and ‘time’ looking to Yuka who was nodding his head appreciatively.  Confused, Daniel stood from his crude stick made stool, leaning toward Chaka.  

“Chaka, is everything alright? What is it time for? What’s coming?” Daniel asked, concerned at the combination of shouting and smiling, an irrational part of him looking to the sky for a hailstorm that was definitely out of season. Smiling, beaming, Chaka turned around to face his human friend, clasping his shoulder tightly. 

“Daniel baby come!” he declared in English, clear English as the other Unas gathered began to cheer. 

Eyes wide, Daniel dashed out of the hut.  

*****

“Oh my gawd make it stop!!!” Adrienne was screaming as a contraction waved through her, Zita sitting at Adrienne’s feet, rubbing them and making some cooing noise.  

“AHHHHH!!!!” screamed Adrienne, “Where in da ‘ell is my ‘USBAND!!!”  

Zita, however, just continued to rock back and forth, cooing and rubbing as Adrienne gritted her teeth and tried to image herself elsewhere when the contraction suddenly stopped.  

“Dank gawd,” she breathed out when the door flap opened, Daniel ducked inside and racing to her. 

“Ad, Please tell me that this is Braxton Hicks, please,” he pleaded, reaching for her abdomen. 

Adrienne started to answer him that she had never felt anything like this before, that this was nothing like the false labor she had experienced some weeks ago, when she began to feel the push in her body once more...

She screamed like he had never heard her scream, profane cajun phrases poured out of her mouth, some he had learned over the course of their relationship, others he was afraid to ask the meaning of and all the while, Zita just kept cooing and rubbing.  

When the contraction was finished, Adrienne collected her breathing the best she could, just as Chaka entered the tent her eyes darting between the people here.

“I dink Zita did it.  I told ‘er I was uncomfortable ahn ‘ungry and she fed me sumtin ahn den...”  Adrienne trailed, a pained looked in her face and she started screaming again. 

Oh shit, Daniel thought, this is happening and it is happening right now.

This time, instead of standing there looking mystified, the Unas woman shoved Daniel out of the way and began to reach for the waistband of Adrienne’s pants as Adrienne, still screaming, was frantically smacking her away, her dark cajun eyes ogling the other large green creature entering the tent, yammering away in their speak.  

“No, no, no, no” Adrienne was screaming as she wiggled away, looking over at Daniel with a look of pure hatred, “Ya promised ME!!!!”   

“Promised you what?” Daniel asked, confused, still coming to terms with what was going to happen. 

“Promised me that ya wud neva allow me ta ever give birth like dis, ever!” she screamed.  It took Daniel a second to remember when they had ever talked about a situation just like this when he remembered, trying not to laugh, the very thought of Adrienne being anyone’s parent at that very moment being something he had thought to be hysterical.

“You said if you married a space prince,” he tried to play hoping to ease her pain just a bit, reaching out for her hand, a hand she smacked away quickly.

“I married ya stupid ass; dat be close ENOUGH!!!” 

There was the screaming again, Adrienne’s head thrown back as howls of pain echoed from her mouth. Daniel stood, frantic, trying to at least get her a glass of water as Zita muttered something to Chaka. Nodding, the Chaka stood, approaching Daniel, placing his hand on his shoulder.  

“Sit Daniel. Mate push. Sit here,” Chaka indicated that Daniel should go sit behind Adrienne. His heart racing, he had seen women gift birth before but this was his wife bringing his child into the world, it was different and he was slightly disoriented. Nodding, he walked behind her, this screaming, blithering mess that he was married to, and sat down, crossed legged, reaching for her shoulders and leaning to whisper in her ear.  

“Ad, this is happening, alright, so I think you need to let Zita do this,” he said as he pulled her shoulders so that she was laying in his lap. She was sweating profusely, tears in her eyes, looking back at him.  

“I want Carolyn, please go get Carolyn. I want da drugs,” she begged, “Carolyn, please, where is Carolyn, I want Carolyn...”

He hated seeing her in this much pain but nevertheless shook his head no; it as too late now. 

“Adrienne, it’ll take too long to go and come back and the schedule was too busy, I can’t even guarantee that we could dial through yet. We’re gonna have to do this together and hope that Sam is sending something through to yell at you as we speak,” Daniel replied, feeling horrible but with no response from his wife other than her throwing her head back into him, screaming like a banshee.  

Not knowing what else to do, Daniel looked up at Chaka and nodded, Zita understood, reaching up to remove Adrienne’s pants and calling around her to the child that had gone to fetch Daniel earlier.  She then turned and barked some commands at her husband, who also left to do as she said.  

Despite the pain Adrienne smiled; it pleased her to see Zita taking charge and being listened too. Maybe she had underestimated their societal structure.  

Adrienne was watching Zita as she worked and prepared when another contraction hit her, sharp pain rocketing through her entire body and she screamed, reached frantically for something to squeeze when she felt Daniel slip his hands into hers.  

“Please don’t break my fingers; I need them to type,” he whispered to her sweetly, kissing her ear and she wanted to laugh, but the pain was too great.  This time, however, it subsided as quickly as it came and she felt like herself again.  She rested back against Daniel, exhausted, releasing his hands and he reached over, brushing her hair out of her face when it hit her yet again, and she was wailing. 

Daniel felt so helpless as he watched the contractions intensify, holding Adrienne tightly in his arms. He wanted to say something to make it better, but he was at a loss for words, clearly this was full blown labor and without the comfort of Carolyn’s table or the medication that Adrienne was now finally asking for, she was here, alone with him, and in intense pain.  He looked up to see what Zita was doing now that she had removed Adrienne’s pants and noticed that Chaka had returned, a bucket of water and the small child had brought a bundle of rags.  He started to ask if there was anything he needed to do when he felt his hands being violently grabbed and heard her screaming again.  

“Dammit, when dis gonna be ova?!?!” her accent was thick, what was coming out of her mouth more like “dammitwhendisgonnabeova” rather than separate words, Daniel glancing up at Chaka to try to find her some indication other than her contractions as to how far along she was. 

“Water from Addy?” he asked, knowing if Adrienne’s water were to break things would be rolling along very quickly. Chaka said something to Zita, who shook her head looking clearly upset.

“No water Daniel,” Chaka answered, Zita speaking again, “Addy ready, baby ready, but no water.” 

Daniel’s eyes widened and he took a breath, knowing what was going to have to happen.

“Ja-wer, listen, Zita has never delivered a human baby. You are dilated, but your water is not breaking and I’m not sure if they know what to do,” Daniel started, Adrienne peering back, looking at him in horror.  

“Oh no, no, no, I see ya face sha, I know wha ya dinkin’ . I said no, I said Carolyn be deliverin’ dis baby, nah ya, no, Daniel, go get Carolyn, I want Carolyn,” Adrienne shot back breathing heavy. He knew what was coming and let her grab his hands.  

She screamed and squeezed and he squeezed against her, waiting for the contraction to be over before trying to reason with her again but the moment it ended, she whipped her head around, ready to keep arguing. 

“Ya canna be serious,” she screamed, “Indy ya canna, I jus wanted...” she was crying now and Daniel knew why. She had been scared from day one, of being pregnant, getting married, being a mom, the delivery and it seemed that nothing was going to go right, not even the thing she feared the most.

“Adrienne, you know I’ve done this before.  Look, this hasn’t gone like you wanted ok, like we wanted, but it’s going to be alright; I promise.  This is my son too,” he said gently, running his fingers down her cheek, wiping away her tears. She knew he had to do it and she was starting to nod in agreement when she was screaming again. 

Daniel signaled over to Zita to go and sit behind Adrienne so she had something to push against. She stood and they switched places, Daniel rushing over to where Zita had been before gazing between his wife’s legs. 

He took a breath, worried; this was going to be a bit more complicated then he had dealt with before. Shar’e had gone into labor on her own and he was only left to finish the task that had been started but Adrienne had been induced by some strange Unas concoction of what he had no idea with an already questionable pregnancy. Focusing only on what he had to do, he looked up at Adrienne as she tried to breath her way through another contraction, took off his jacket and tossed it aside, reaching underneath to break her water. 

*****

“I just can’t believe she did that,” Cassie was still telling Teyla as they crossed through the gate’s portal, “I mean why would you do something like that? Is she insane?” Teyla was smiling, gun out and looking around them, ever cautious as she always was.  She determined the coast was clear, holstering her gun as she peered at the young doctor. 

“She is close to birth. It can make a woman crazy,”  Teyla answered but Cassie just shook her head.  

“Hormonal influx or not, I don’t think I would go running through a wormhole,” Cassie responded, hitching her medical bag up onto her shoulder as Teyla laughed lightly.

“We say all sorts of things before the moment arrives.  Then, we forget every declaration we have ever made, just for it to be over,” Teyla advised and started walking to the village.  

Cassie didn’t respond, still shaking her head as she followed.

*****

“Ok, Adrienne, listen to me, it’s time ja-wer, you’ve got to push,” Daniel instructed, having survived the first hurdle, breaking her water, the rest of the labor going smoothly. Leaning between her knee and away from Zita, tears streaking down her face, Adrienne did the only thing she could do: cry. 

“I can’t, I just can’t,” she whimpered, her voice weak and exhausted. Daniel could tell he was big; they knew all along that he was big, but he had never thought Adrienne would lose the will to fight.  He grabbed her legs and looked right at where she was facing him, crying and in pain.  

“I know it hurts and I can help you some, but you have to do this Ad. You have to push.  Get mad,” he ordered, trying a different approach but Adrienne just let her head fall back, giving up.  

“Get mad, start screaming and yelling. Get mad at Carolyn for not forcing you to be induced.  Get mad for Vala for tormenting you once you couldn’t fit into your insane wardrobe anymore. Get mad at Cameron for training for a 10K without you,” he tried but she wasn’t pushing and another contraction was starting.  She was wiped, sobbing, but she needed to stay with him. 

“Dammit Adrienne, what kind of woman are you?!?! You bitch and moan about woman’s power and women’s rights and you can’t even deliver a baby!?! I thought you were so damn tough, so perfect.  You know, maybe I was right about you in the beginning, maybe you can’t hack it,” he shouted at her in the most hateful tone possible, a tone he wasn’t sure if he had ever really used with her. Grumbling, she flipped her head up at him and he hoped that she would be angry, that in her insane hormonal state she would believe what he was saying.  She started to scream, loudly and he felt her pushing.  Even if she didn’t believe him, which she probably didn’t, she was doing as he asked and that was all he needed. Taking a breath, he reached to help her, reaching inside of her to try to bring their child into the world. 

*****

Teyla and Cassie heard the screams as soon as they entered the village, a rather large crowd of green humanoids gathered at the entrance to a larger hut in the back of the main living area. 

“Oh no,” Cassie slipped, glancing at Teyla as she began to push her way through the crowd.  

*****

“One more push Ad, just one more,” Daniel instructed, Adrienne wincing as she nodded. Breathing in, gritting her teeth, she grabbed Zita’s hands and started to push.  

*****

Cassie was wriggling through the throng of Unas when she heard two set of screams, Daniel yelling push and Adrienne screaming in pain.  

And then there was silence.  

*****

The world slowed to a stop as Daniel Jackson saw him for the first time, his son, his perfect and healthy baby boy. He reached over for his jacket lying at his knees, wrapping him up so very gently, holding the child in one arm while he searched for a knife or something to cut the cord.  He was digging around one handed when Chaka approached him, handing him a very fancy looking knife and Daniel took it, separating mother from child.  Once he made the cut he stood, looking back at Adrienne, wrapping the baby carefully in his jacket.  

“See Adrienne, look, drinking coffee didn’t hurt a thing, he’s fine, Nicky’s perfect,” he said, walking over to where she was laying, back on Zita.  He peered down at Nicholas one more time and then back at Adrienne, surprised that she hadn’t said a word, she’d want to see him, he couldn’t believe that exhausted or not she wasn’t fussing already.  Zita was gazing up at him, sadly, her own dark eyes cutting down at the pale unconscious woman in her arms. 

Daniel started to shake.  

“Adrienne, Ad,” panicked, he looked at Chaka, who came over and took the baby from his arms and Daniel instantly, fell to his knees, shaking her.  

“No Adrienne, no, it was just garbage that you looked up on the internet. Garbage. It’s not true.  Wake up, please wake up,” he said, starting to sob.

“NO!!” he screamed, “Fate, God, what the fuck ever you can’t do this to me!!! You can’t take her, not like this!! All I want is her and this family, why can’t I just have that!”  He leaned across her to sob when he felt himself being shoved out of the way. 

“Daniel you need to back up, right now,” Cassie ordered from behind him and he turned around, growling viciously.

“No, she is my WIFE this time, I’m not leaving,” he shouted at her.  Unmoved, Cassie slammed her hands on her hips, staring him down. 

“No one is asking you to leave.  Go grab my step-brother and get the hell out of my way so I can make sure that Addy is alright,” the small young doctor ordered. 

Taken aback by her forceful manner, Daniel stood, doing as she said, returning to Nicholas.  Chaka handed him back the bundle and he watched Cassie work, asking Teyla, who Daniel had just noted joining them, to come and assist her, handing over various items from her medical bag.  She poked and prodded Adrienne, directing Zita to lay her down flat, examining her before covering her lower half with a blanket.

“She’s alright, she’s gonna be fine.  Did you guys induce labor, because whatever did it was hard and just wore her out. She’s just resting and she needs it,” Cassie asked, Daniel breathing a sigh of relief as he nodded in the affirmative.  

“A bit of a misunderstanding between Adrienne and Chaka’s wife.  Yes, labor was induced,” he said, Cassie smiling and nodding.  

“Alright, let me see this little guy Daniel while you go and make Adrienne comfortable. We can let her rest here a while and then we’ll get you both back home,” Cassie stood, pointing down at the now mumbling Adrienne as she made her way to the newest member of the Jackson family.

*****

Adrienne waved her hand over Nicky, slowly, deliberately, but he wouldn’t stop crying.  She closed her eyes, concentrating hard on the idea of silence, waving her hand again.  

Nicholas, however, continued to cry.  

Sighing, Adrienne peered over at the clock by the nightstand noting the time. 

4 a.m. 

“Imma neva gonna sleep again,” she groaning, gathering up all of her strength as she took in a deep breath, waving her hand over her son again.  

“You’re not a Jedi knight,” she heard Daniel say from behind her, laughing. A frown on her face, she turned, glaring right at him, trying not to smile. 

“Considering how many of the things I thought in childhood were not real but turned out to be real, I thought it was worth a try,” she relented, a grin spreading across her face. 

“Sure....” he teased, she elbowed him, back to making her desperate gaze down at the screaming child. 

“Fine, YOU make him stop,” she ordered and started to leave the room. Shrugging, Daniel reached in the crib and grabbed Nicky, following behind his wife. She stopped in front on him, noticing that the crying had stopped, turning to frown at him yet again.

“Daniel, that’s cheating; I could have done that and you’re not supposed to sleep with the baby,” Adrienne fussed, ready to cite a page from her latest book, the one she had read cover to cover as she and Nicky recovered together in the infirmary, as she patiently waited for Daniel to wrap up the negotiations, negotiations that she insisted he return to. 

It seemed the hormonal insecurity and neediness had left the moment the baby left her body, thankfully.

“I watched families do this all of the time on Abydoys.  I don’t care what your research says.  Sometimes what’s in a book isn’t always right,” he stated simply, smiling again, waiting for her argument.  

“But I sleep so soundly, what if I squish him?”  she now asked, concerned, Daniel shaking his head.

“I barely sleep, and I’ll watch him, even if that means sleeping with him on the couch,” Daniel replied, looking at the baby, “Isn’t that right Nicholas, mommy needs to chill out a bit, doesn’t she?” 

Adrienne kept up her glare, as he walked to her, turning her around by her shoulder, pointing her in the direction of the door.  

“Good night Adrienne, we’re going back to bed, all of us,” he said, nudging her toward their bedroom.  

“I hate you Daniel,” she laughed, but let him have his way, shutting out the light as she watched the two most important people in her life slip into the other room.