Chapter Nineteen

20 November 2009 — Earth: SGC — 23:45 hours

 

A few weeks after their wedding, Vala walked into Daniel’s office and shut the door.  If that wasn’t ominous enough, he noticed her wringing her hands together and chewing on her lip.

 

“What’s wrong, love?” he asked stopping what he was working on.

 

She came around his desk and stood in front of him in silence for a moment.  As concerned as Daniel was, he knew not to push, so he waited quietly, rubbing her arms.

 

“Moswen,” she said quietly, “has General Landry reassigned you to a different team yet?”

 

He wasn’t sure what to expect, but it wasn’t that.

 

“Um… no.  It’ll be a couple of months for a spot to open.  Dr. Emerson is leaving the first of the year and I’m going to join SG-24 then.”

 

Taking her hands, he gave her a small smile and asked, “Why?  I’ve seen SG-1’s mission list for the couple of weeks— it’s mostly just checking out planets that the Ori had hold of.  Offering assistance to anyone that wants our help to rebuild.  And you aren’t starting school until the summer, so you’ll be able to make sure nothing happens to me.  Why such a troubled face?”

 

Vala looked down for a moment, chewing her lip again and petting Aisling who was lounging on his desk.  Suddenly, she threw her arms around his neck.

 

Whispering in his ear she said, “I’m pregnant.  Seven weeks.”

 

Daniel froze.

 

Had he heard her right?  Was he really going to be a father?  Taking a step back, he looked her in the eyes.  They were bright and he could see doubt and joy warring across her face… and the concern.

 

“Daniel?  Are… are you going to say anything?”  the slight hitch in her voice seemed to pull him out of his head.

 

“Are you sure?  I mean… really sure?”

 

Vala nodded, not trusting her voice.  As happy as she was, they hadn’t really had time to discuss having a family and she wasn’t sure what to expect.  An instant later, he had her in his arms spinning around and laughing out loud.  Almost overbalancing with dizziness, he sat Vala on the desktop.  She was starting to say something when her mouth became otherwise engaged.  Kissing her passionately, the father to be held her face in his hands, tilting her head back to make the kiss deeper still.  It wasn’t until soft paws and a meow drew their attention, that they broke apart.

 

If Daniel’s smile got any bigger, Vala was sure his face would split in half.  With a relieved grin of her own, she took his hand and placed it on her stomach.

 

“You are happy then, Daniel?”

 

“I don’t think there is a word in ANY language for how happy I am, mo ghrá.  My heart is almost to the point of exploding!  I, I… I…”

 

Aisling meowed again, wanting to add to the joy.

 

“Exactly, Aisling!” he said to the cat, then to Vala he added, “What she said.”

 

Touching her lips with his, the heat begin to rush through them.  Picking Vala up and carrying her over to the camp bad that was always in his office, he laid her down.  Daniel broke the kiss and moved down her neck as nimble fingers unbuttoned her blouse.

 

“Daniel, darling,” she said breathlessly, “the door isn’t locked—”

 

He made a dismissing sound around a mouthful of breast and continued his assault.  With amazing deftness he got her pants undone as well.  Sitting back and pulling her BDU’s and panties down, he smiled mischievously.

 

“It’s late.  No one will bother us,” he said as he dropped his pants down and crawled in between her legs.

 

Vala almost screamed as he entered her quickly.  She loved when he went all predatory on her.  It wasn’t going to take long to reach their nirvana this time.  Already half way there, she couldn’t stop the scream this time.  Daniel reached up and put his hand over her mouth, not wanting to chance someone hearing them fucking like bunnies in his office.  He was having a hard time keeping quiet himself.

 

As Vala’s orgasm rolled over her, she held tightly to her husband.  Feeling her tighten around him, Daniel tried his hardest to stay quiet but a loud moan escaped as he spilled into his wife.  He rested his forehead on hers, panting and insanely happy.

 

“I love you, Vala!” he said between gasps.  “You have filled my life with love, laughter…a certain amount of annoyance, but— oh, Vala.  You have given me so much,” tears stared down his check, “and now, you’ve given us a child.”

 

“Well,” she said as she gently wiped his tears, “you did have some input you know.”

 

He smiled at her, “I guess we should get dressed before someone decides to come to see me.”

 

Vala pulled his head down for one more kiss, then nodded her agreement.

 

Just outside Daniel’s office door, Teal’c quietly stood guard, a smile on his face.  He had wanted to speak with his friend when he heard the unmistakable sounds of passion.  With déjà vu scenes from The Odyssey in his mind, he chuckled to himself and took up his post so no one would disturb the couple.

 

***

 

11 January 2010 — Earth: SGC — 08:30 hours

 

December came and went on the heels of very snowy weather.  Mitchell was hounding Daniel to stay a little longer on the team after hearing that Sam was on the short list for Command of The George Hammond.  It was only when Vala cornered him one afternoon and threatened bodily harm if he didn’t stop.

 

The couple decided not to tell anyone about her pregnancy until just the right moment.  So when a briefing with SG-1 and SG-24 came up, they knew that Cam would be adamant about Daniel’s staying and resolved that now was the time to share that Vala was with child.  It was also getting harder to hide the ‘baby bump’ beneath her BDUs.

 

“I have a mission that will require both teams,” General Landry said to the assembled.  “P91-974 is, as far as we can tell, uninhabited but as a precaution SG-1 will go along.  The ruins there seemed to be of different origins and expect that you, Dr. Jackson, would be very interested in them.”

 

The folder with M.A.L.P. and UAV photos were handed out, and just as Landry had predicted, Daniel’s mouth was watering.

 

“I thought that this would be a good transition assignment for you.”

 

The archeologist merely nodded, absorbed in the photos.

 

“If SG-1 is sure that all is safe and sound, I’m giving SG-24 permission to stay for several months to do their thing.”

 

“At least…” Daniel could hardly contain his excitement, “I can already see in these photos that there are at least three different cultures in this one area alone.  Cultures that don’t have any connection to each other.  I mean— look at this!  This is clearly Roman here, and, and… this one is ancient Indonesian, and…”

 

“Ah-um,” Mitchell cleared his throat loudly, “before you get too enthralled, Jackson.  I’d like to know if you are absolutely, positively, and without a shadow of a doubt that you want to leave me and SG-1?”

 

Daniel looked over the top of his glasses at the younger man.  With a smirk, he said, “Yes, Cameron, I’m leaving you.  I didn’t want to break-up in public, but our torrid love affair is over.  I have to go back to my wife now.  It was fun while it lasted, and I have to say… you top better than anyone, but…”

 

By now the whole room was laughing loudly and Mitchell was beet-red as he flipped his friend the bird.  Daniel grinned and blew him a kiss.

 

Vala stared at her husband with such amusement and love.  He was going to leave the team, just like he promised.  She reached over and squeezed his hand as the General tried to restore a modicum of decorum to his briefing room.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, please try and conduct yourselves appropriately.  Colonel Mitchell, I do not want you to harass Dr. Jackson anymore.  The move has been made.  He has agreed to accompany SG-1 on some missions if he is needed.”

 

Vala head snapped around to look at Daniel, wide eyes disbelief.  He could tell she was pissed.  Taking her hand, he leaned over and whispered, “Only for diplomatic missions, mo ghrá.  Nothing more.”

 

Her mouth a thin line and eyes squinting suspiciously, she nodded once.

 

“If there is nothing else…” Landry started.

 

“Um, General,” Daniel raised his hand.  “There is one other thing—”

 

“Go ahead, son.”

 

Taking a deep breath and smiling shyly, he said, “I just wanted you all to know, that… Vala and I are going to have a baby soon.”

 

“We were waiting to tell everyone for just the right moment.” Vala said into the stunned silence.

 

Then the room erupted into shouts of congratulations and clapping hands.  Mitchell slapped the table and reached across to shake Daniel’s hand.  Teal’c stood to embrace his friend.  Sam jumped up and ran around the table to give Vala a hug.

 

“When is the baby due?” Carter asked breathlessly.

 

“July 8th.”

 

Sam came as close to a squeal as anyone had ever heard out of her, “July 8th?  That’s Daniel’s birthday!!”

 

In the midst of all the commotion, General Landry knew it would be impossible to get the group back under control now. With a quick congratulations he made his retreat to his office. Lord knows that good news was few and far between in their line of work, and need to be enjoyed while they could.

 

***

 

18 June 2010 — Planet Designation: P91-974 — 14:55 hours

 

Daniel was sitting on his knees, carefully brushing dirt from an artifact.  He had been on P91-974 for five months and it seemed like he had just scratched the surface of the ruins.  Vala was sitting at the edge of the ditch he was working in, drawing on her sketch pad.  She had become quite good at cataloging and documenting the artifacts, that Daniel was very happy she was there.  Even though he was overly concerned her taking it easy, doting like a mother hen.

 

The main reason she was with him was because Daniel had come home a week earlier for a little R&R and had proceeded to sleep for several days.  Vala also noticed that none of his clothes fit and they had to buy him a new belt just to keep his pants on.  Concerned, she went to talk with Major Rathbone.  He was in charge of SG-24’s six soldiers while Daniel headed the eight archeologists on the team.  The pregnant woman wanted to know what her husband was doing on the planet.  He reported that Dr. Jackson seemed to always be working and that some of his colleagues would have to drag him away just to eat once in a while.  Vala insisted on accompanying them when they went back, if only to make sure Daniel wasn’t going to work himself to death.

 

Daniel tried to dissuade her, taking into consideration of her advanced pregnancy, but she would not take no for an answer.  So, here she sat, wearing a long skirt because BDU’s didn’t come in pregnancy size, drawing some of the items that Daniel had unearthed already.  The wind began to pick-up and she pulled her shawl tighter against the cold when it started to rain.  And not just rain, but a torrential downpour.

 

“Shit!!  Get everything covered!!” Daniel shouted to the rest of his team.

 

Scrambling out of the shallow pit and helping his wife to stand they got his area sufficiently covered.  The rain was pounding the couple as they tried to get to the shelter.  It was challenging for Vala to walk through the slippery mud causing them to move slowly.

 

Then Daniel heard it.  A roaring coming from behind them.  When he turned to look, panic sped through him.

 

A wall of water and mud was racing towards them.  He scooped up Vala and started running, but it was too late.  They both were swept off their feet by the churning water.  Daniel clung to his wife with everything he had, trying to keep their heads above the raging torrent.  He could hear her screaming and it tore his heart.

 

Fighting to get to the edge of the embankment, he was hit in the back of the head with something heavy.  He saw stars but kept a firm hold on Vala.  The current was gaining speed and  even though his glasses were long gone, he could still see the approaching rapids.  Kicking as hard as he could, he managed to get close enough to a passing tree to grab it.  Daniel shoved Vala onto the makeshift lifeboat, making sure she climbed out of the water.  He held on to her and the tree as they were violently tossed down the rapids.  After a short fall, the log became lodged between two huge boulders.

 

Using the last of his strength, Daniel pulled himself onto the tree and then onto one of the rocks.  He reached down and grabbed Vala under her arms and heaved her up next to him.  She was still alert but shaking severely.  He kissed her lightly, and then scanned around for some sort of shelter for them.  Though his vision was blurred and doubled, he spotted dark patch nearby that could very well be a cave.

 

“Vala,” he gasped, “I’m going to see if that’s a cave.  Hopefully, if it is, it will be empty.  Will you be able to hang on here for a minute?”

 

She nodded.  With another quick kiss to her head, he scrambled down the boulder and slogged through the water to where the shore began.  It took him three attempts to get up the water-logged embankment but succeeded in the end.  It was shallow cave but large enough for both of them to take shelter.  And it was a safe distance from the uncontrolled river.  Daniel jogged back to Vala, breaking off a sapling to help him get his pregnant wife up the muddy incline.

 

He slid down the side and began to push the little tree into the mud as deep as he could.  He waded back to Vala, taking her hands and helping her to scoot off the rock and into the pool.  With the water pulling at her long skirt, she stumbled several times even with Daniel holding onto her.  They got to the bank and he placed some large stones where the branch was shoved into the mud, to give Vala a little more leverage.

 

“You’re gonna have to climb, love.  I’ll help, but you have to really pull hard… okay?” he asked.

 

She nodded and gripped the branch.  Daniel got down on one knee and placed his shoulder under her butt and pushed.  Clawing and scrabbling for perches, with Daniel pushing her up, she slowly reached the top and pull herself over onto the level ground.

 

Gasping for breath, Daniel felt consciousness starting to slip.  He looked up the muddy bank and wondered if he had the energy to climb out.  He didn’t think he could when Vala’s face appeared over the edge.

 

“Daniel!  Come on, baby!” she yelled and reached out her hand to him.  “Don’t give up on me!”

 

With one last surge of adrenaline, he struggled up and out of the muddy ravine.  Laying, panting, he looked up into his wife’s face.  Daniel attempted a smile when his eyes rolled back and he passed out.

 

“Daniel!” she cried and slapped his face.  “Daniel, please!”

 

Vala looked over to the cave, gauging how far it was.  She stood and grabbed Daniel’s jacket trying to pull him through the mud.  She slipped and slide, but couldn’t budge him.  Not sure what to do, the drenched, pregnant woman attempted to wake him again with a few rather hefty slaps.  Daniel groaned and batted her hand away.  With a sigh of relief, she kissed him.

 

“Come on, Moswen,” she said pulling on him to get up.  “We have to get into the cave.”

 

Crawling, slipping and struggling, they inched closer to their destination.  Wet, cold and exhausted, they made it to the safety of the cave and huddled together.  Vala noticed blood on Daniel’s jacket and made him turn around so she could take a look.  There was a long cut on the back of his head, but it wasn’t deep.  She pulled his knife from his belt and cut a piece of her skirt that wasn’t too dirty, and pressed it against his wound.

 

“Ouch!” he whined.

 

“Oh stop being such a… ba…ahhhhhhhhh!”  Vala clutched at her swollen belly.

 

“What?”  Daniel turned to see her terrified face.  “Vala…?”

 

Another sharp pain raced through her and she grabbed Daniel’s arm.  She started to breathe through the contraction, just like when she gave birth to— no wait, she didn’t want to think of that.  This was Daniel’s baby and said baby wanted out.

 

“Daniel, I think I’m in labor!”

 

Eyes wide with shock, he stuttered at her, “No, no, no, no, no… it’s too early!!  You can’t be in labor!”

 

Vala snarled at him, “Trust me, I know what labor feels like… and that was a contraction!  I’ve been having those breaking chicks most of the day.”

 

“Braxton Hicks, mo ghrá.”  Daniel stripped off his jacket and BDU shirt.  He balled up the latter and put it behind Vala’s head.  Next, even though he was shivering violently, he pulled off his tee-shirt and after wringing it out as much as he could, he set it aside.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

 

“Because you would have made me go home.  I didn’t want to leave you,” she grimaced through another contraction.

 

“I would’ve come with you, love.  I’m not missing the birth of my child!” he said as he lifted her skirt to check how far she was dilated.

 

“Who the hell decided to have a dig in the middle of a river bed?” Vala grumbled.

 

“Ah… that would be me.” Daniel answered with a smirk.  “It hadn’t rained here for several months and as far as I know, it wasn’t supposed to either.”

 

“Daniel?” Vala said in between breathes, “how many times have you done this?”

 

He smiled at her as he pulled a small first aid kit out of his pants pocket and began to rip open antiseptic wipes to wash his hands.  Calm, cool and collected, he found the space blanket package, unwrapped it and placed the silver cloth over Vala.

 

“Ah… this will be my fourth delivery but the first one that is actually mine,” he said with just a hint of pride.

 

There was no dry wood to make a fire, but Daniel sat with Vala in his arms to keep her warm for an hour or so, timing her contractions and hoping the others would find them soon.

 

The rain strengthen, indifferent to the miracle that was about to happening in the small cave.  Daniel ran the back of his hand across his forehead, feeling his strength waning.  He had to keep it together, he knew his pain was a mere pittance to what Vala was enduring.

 

Then another spasm hit, intense and painful, as Vala clenched Daniel’s hand, screaming.  Looking at his watch, he knew it was close to time.  Slipping out from behind his wife, he maneuvered her into birthing position.

 

“Yep… I can see the head,” he said.  “Okay now, next contraction, I want you to push.”

 

“Daniel I really don’t want to have this baby in a damned cave in the middle of a monsoon!” she shouted and pushed at the same time.

 

“Don’t think you have much choice, my love.  Push…”

 

The baby’s head was crowning…

 

“Push…”

 

He could almost see the tiny face…

 

“Push, love… almost there…”

 

Through bared teeth, she yelled at him, “If you tell me to push one more time, I’m gonna kick you in the balls!!”

 

Daniel laughed and she pushed with a blood-curdling howl.

 

“How you doin’, mo ghrá?”

 

“I… just want… this baby… to come out…”

 

After a few more jaw clenching pushes, Vala heard the sweet sounds of their baby crying.  Daniel’s face was alight with joy as he wrapped the tiny infant in his tee-shirt and placed him in Vala’s arms.

 

“He’s beautiful, mo ghrá,” Daniel said with tears pooling in his eyes.  “And he’s strong… listen to that cry!”

 

He bundled the tiny baby in his tee shirt, checking his airways and making sure there was nothing amiss.  For being three weeks premature, the new father noted his child was only slightly undersized, but medical attention was imperative none the less.

 

As Vala cuddled the infant to her too keep him warm, Daniel used his combat knife to cut the umbilical cord and pressed on her stomach to dispel the afterbirth.  Not having a lot of useful things at hand, he searched his pockets for the bandana he always seemed to have with him.  Getting the cloth wet under the rain, he finished cleaning his wife and then helped her move further into the cave.  As Daniel’s adrenaline started to wane, he made sure mother and child were completely covered with the space blanket; then sat with his back to the cave wall, and Vala leaning against him.  She pulled her husband’s arms around her and kissed his hand.

 

“What will we name him?”

 

They had both decided from the beginning not to know the gender or even choose a name until the baby arrived.  Daniel considered for a long time.  Taking into account that it had been the Tuatha who gave him that final shove too admit his love for the ex-space pirate, he thought a Celtic name would be appropriate. But it was both their decision.

 

“Well,” he began, “there was a name my dad said he would like if they ever had another son.  And it’s Celtic in keeping with my father’s heritage.  What do you think of Teigue?”

 

“Teigue…” Vala tasted the word for a moment.  “What does it mean?”

 

“Poet, philosopher,” Daniel said smiling.  The baby’s little fingers wrapped around one of his, and he couldn’t help the happy sob that escaped.  “God, I can’t believe he’s here— and he’s seems none-the-worse for being early.”

 

“Unlike his father who can’t seem to ever be on time,” Vala smiled and kissed the downy hair on her son’s head.  “Teigue is an excellent name for him, Moswen.  And what about his second name?  I know the Tau’ri love to give their children at the very least two names.”

 

Daniel chuckled, “It’s a cultural thing.  Don’t you have a name you would like to bestow?”

 

“Not really, darling.  You are the linguist, I trust you.”

 

“Okay, then,” Daniel said with a mischievous grin.  Having a taste for irony, he offered, “How about… Rigley?  It means, clearing by a river bend.”

 

“Oh, Daniel!” the new mother laughed, “perfect.  And when he asks why we named him this, we will have quite a story to tell.  Plus, the main character in that alien movie, her name was Rigley, and she kicked ass!”

 

A tremendous shudder ripped through Daniel’s body.  As happy as he was, his adrenaline was long gone.  Closing his eyes, he leaned his head on Vala’s shoulder.

 

“Just gonna rest… bit, love.  Make sure… keep yourself and Teigue warm,” Daniel’s said quietly as he felt the embrace of exhaustion overtake him.

 

Vala elbowed him in the ribs trying to jostle him, “Daniel… stay awake.  We have to get back to the camp.”

 

“JACKSON!”

 

She heard a distant voice calling through the loud tattoo of the rain.

 

“Dr. Jackson?  Vala Jackson?”

 

Then a black shadow streaked into the cave with a loud meow.

 

“Aisling!”

 

Major Rathbone and several others came into view.  They quickly threw blankets around the little family.

 

“Whoa!” Rathbone exclaimed, “you had the baby??!”

 

“Yes, now help Daniel.  He has a head wound and I think he maybe a bit hypothermic.”

 

“Yes, ma’am, well get him taken care of.  Let’s get the two of you back to base then home to Earth.  Sorry, I mean three!”

 

Vala wanted to stay with her husband but knew that she and Teigue needed medical care and warmth soon.  She turned to their constant companion and said, “Aisling, stay with Daniel.  Keep him safe.”

 

The feline actually nodded her head and curled up beside her pet.

 

“Don’t worry, ma’am, we’ll be right behind you.  I promise not to let him die again,” Rathbone said with a smile.

 

With Vala and baby on a stretcher, two soldiers took them back to the base.  It was surprising at how close they actually were.  The trip down river seemed to last for hours but in reality they ended up only five or so klicks away.  Once mother and baby were settled in a tent, an airmen radioed the SGC to let them know they were sending wounded through.  While he did that, the rest of SG-24 came in with Daniel bundled in blankets and Aisling clutched to his chest.  As soon as man and cat arrived they all were carried to the Stargate and back home.

 

***

 

18 May 2010 — Earth: SGC — 18:15 hours

 

The nurses were oo’ing and ah’ing over the tiny baby boy.  Vala grinned at the admiring crowd.  Daniel was out of danger and she was resting next to the small incubator where Teigue slept peacefully.  They needed to warm up the baby slowly but otherwise, Dr. Lam proclaimed him a very healthy six pound, 15 inches long, one month pre-mature bundle of joy.

 

Aisling seemed to take it upon herself to be her little brother’s guardian and was laying on top of the warming apparatus, purring loudly.

 

Carter ran into the infirmary, still in field gear, and slid to a stop beside her friend’s bed.

 

“Oh my god, Vala!!” she could hardly keep her voice down, “You had the baby in a cave?”

 

Sam leaned down and gave her a kiss on the cheek, then looked at the newborn.  “Cam and Teal’c will be here soon.  We came back as soon as Walter dialed in and yelled it over the M.A.L.P.’s speaker.  I think he is more excited about it than me!  So what happened?  I only heard that you had him in a rain storm.  And— well, crap!  What’s his name?!”

 

Vala was laughing at Sam’s excitement.  “His name is, Teigue Rigley Jackson.”

 

Carter looked up at her friend with a quizzical expression and said, “Oh… I bet there’s a story behind that name!”

 

Just then, the male half of SG-1 came in to see the newest Jackson.  In next to no time, most of the base was filtering in and out of the infirmary.  Sam even brought her laptop down so that General O’Neill could share the moment from D.C.  It was the only time any of them ever saw Jack puffing happily on a cigar.  Promising that he, Serin and Bran would come to see them as soon as his duties allowed.

 

Later that evening, Daniel sat next to his wife in the bed.  Aisling in his lap and Teigue in his arms.  An unadulterated sense of exhilaration radiated off the Jackson family.

 

With a content sigh, Daniel kissed his wife and son, thanking all the Powers That Be for not only the family he now held in his arms, but for his extended SG-1 and Tir Na n’Óg families as well.  He never felt as blessed, complete and whole, as he did now.