Beyond Broca
Sha'uri's POV
May 1995 Colorado Springs
Hesina crawls down on the floor to play with A'kili. I smile at my kids, and take this chance to tidy up the living room. My back is turned from them for a moment, and I hear crying, and I turn.
"What happened?" I ask scooping up the bawling Aki.
"Don't know mom,"Hesina replies in English.
"Did he fall?" I ask.
"Don't know mom," she replies in Abydonian.
"Where does it hurt?" I ask Aki. He doesn't answer me. I lock with his eyes. He looks away. I grab his chin. "Where is the owie?" I ask. He talks sometimes, but he doesn't answer questions. He isn't touching anywhere. "Hess, where was he hurt?" I ask again.
"I don't know Mom!" she shouts in Gou'ald before running out of the room.
An hour later I'm making lunch. Aki is in his high chair, and Hess comes into the room. I turn just in time to see her smack her brother hard on the arm. He's wailing. I pick him up and do the squeeze thing that calms him down.
"Why did you do that?" I ask her. She doesn't answer. She just leaves the room. "Honey, you can't hit people. Hess, you can't hit your brother!" I shout after her.
Dan'yel isn't going on a mission today, and he's on what should be his lunch break, so I figure I'd give him a call.
"Sha're?" he says. "I can't really talk. Things are pretty crazy here. There seems to be some kind of a virus and everyone is getting sick. I'm immune or something, so I'm helping Janet in the infirmary. We're under quarantine, so I won't be coming home anytime soon."
"What does the virus do?" I ask.
"It's kind of complicated," he says.
"Your daughter is running around smacking her brother as hard as she can," I prompt.
"You might want to bring the kids in," he says, "Looks like I gave my family a nasty virus, I'm sorry."
"Uh, what other symptoms might there be?" I ask.
"Anything cave man like."
I walk into the infirmary and Dan'yel gives me a tired little smile.
"I made a room for Hess, has Aki acted any differently?" he asks.
I look away for a second, "I could be imagining it, but it's almost like he wants to be touched more. Could be because his sister keeps smacking him, he wants to be near me, but…I don't know."
He smiles, "We want to draw some blood. See if my natural immunity got into Aki. How about you, feeling primal?" he asks.
Honestly ever since he walked into the room I've been thinking about nothing but him naked, but I'm not about to admit that. "I'm fine, Dan'yel," I say.
I help with monitoring the patients, the whole time with my son on my hip. I check on Hess frequently. She's got a private room. Hardly anyone has a private room, but Dan'yel managed it for his daughter. We've been there a few hours when suddenly Dan'yel walks too close to me, and I lose it. I set my son down and push Dan'yel up against the wall. I start kissing him, but it only last a second before he has me at arm length. He does a nervous little laugh, "Sha're we made a deal no kissing at the SGC, ever. Now can I trust you to share a room with Hess?" he asks.
"I wouldn't hurt our daughter," I protest.
"I know you wouldn't, normally," he says warily.
"I'm fine," I protest, "Not even affected, just," my voice drops down to a purr, "Come to your office with me for a while."
"Sha're," he says with a sigh pointing me toward our daughter's room. And I go. He picks up Aki.
Vala's POV
May 1995 Colorado Springs
I see Sam in the infirmary for her post-mission check-up at the same time I'm in for mine. We're some of the very few woman who go on off world missions, so I always stop for a chat. In hindsight that's where my night started to go wrong. But I didn't know that then.
Scheduling time to be with Rodney has gotten complicated since I joined SG-3. SG-1 and SG-3 rarely have the same downtime. So almost always when we're both on world with no unsightly early mission the next morning we plan a date. This was no exception.
I don't have a clear memory of the night. But here is what I do remember. Apparently the night started to go crazy when McKay accused the waiter of looking at me, and got into a fist fight with him. Apparently in my altered state I found that attractive, and we went out to his car to have sex. At some point after that we started fighting. The police were called. We made out in the cop car. We fought as they drug us into the police station. The SGC noticed us missing and unaccounted for two days after everyone else was healed and gave us antidote in lock down.
Life is never boring at the SGC. But the good news is I know I can beat the crap out of my boyfriend.
Jonas POV
May 1995 Colorado Springs
I sigh. I don't remember much of what happened when I was still under the influence of the virus, but I remember enough.
Janet enters. Carefully, with two SF's between her and I the whole time. God.
"How are you feeling?" asks.
"I am so sorry, Janet!" I say.
"More like yourself I see," she says, "Relax airmen, I can give him his next dose," she says with a smile. They both leave the room.
"Well, I think everyone is going to know about our relationship now," I say hanging my head.
"I'll say," she says giving me a shot in my arm.
"How is the guy I punched?" I ask.
She giggles. Actually giggles at me, "He's fine. He wouldn't get within three feet of me, because he actually believe that threat a crazy eyed alien gave him, but he's fine."
"You shouldn't find this funny," I scold.
She rakes the hair off my forehead, "Honey, if I didn't find alien viruses funny I'd go nuts in a week. But I do want to talk about that thing you shouted while you were beating up anyone who touched me."
"You mean the 'I love her,'?" I ask.
"That would be the one," she says with a smile.
"I meant it you know," I say with a smile.
"Wasn't sure," she says. "Didn't want to tell you I loved you back until you'd said it in your right mind."
"I love you," I say.
"I love you, too," she says, "And for the rest of the things you shouted, we'll have to wait until we're off base."
Crap. I don't remember them.
Sha'uri's POV
May 1995 Colorado Springs
He smiles at me, "You are yourself again Sha're?"
"Yes, Dan'yel," I say exasperated by the whole experience, and a little annoyed he was immune from the virus and therefore the humiliation, "Was Aki immune?"
"Yeah, allergy medicine is what did it," he says.
"No miracle cure," I say, and I can tell by his face that he knows I'm not talking about the Brocca virus.
"No miracle cure," he repeats.
"It was scary when he was crying and I didn't know why. You know. He'll never be able to tell me what I wrong," I say almost in tears.
"He will talk Sha're," he says with a smile.
"It's like he has his own little world, and we can't come in," I say.
"He'll be fine, Sha're," he says with a pat on my hand.
Vala's POV
July 1995 SGC
I'm pretty sure I'm going to throw-up. There are actually a couple of different reasons for this, but right now I am focused on the one that involves Rodney-my boyfriend quarantined on an alien planet. No one gave me details, but I know it's pretty bad. They give me access to the video camera, and all move a polite distance away.
"Rodney," I say trying to sound cheerful and smile. Is it just me, or does he look older? Whatever this illness is must have stressed me out.
"Vala," he says. He has that dear-in-the-headlight look. "Did Daniel talk to you?"
"No, no one told me anything except that you had a disease and was quarantined on Argos," I say.
"Well, I know Daniel said he wasn't going to talk to you, but I figured he'd take pity on me, and change his mind," he mutters.
"Rodney, you have got to tell me what is going on. Because I'm starting to freak out here," I say.
"I was drugged!" He blurts.
"Uh, ok…but why wouldn't they take you back here if you're just drugged?" I ask.
"That's not all that's wrong. It's just before I tell you what I did I have to let you know that I was drugged at the time," he says.
I nod. I'm getting more and more worried by the second.
"Ok, so this girl comes and offers everyone cake. Well, not everyone exactly. She really wanted to give it to Jack. But Jack happened to be talking about Sam, and that made the girl turn away. It's not like I wasn't talking about you. I mean I wasn't, but that doesn't mean anything. I do talk about you a lot. I just wasn't talking about you right then…"
"Get on with the story, Rodney," I say.
"Ok, well anyway I eat the cake, which apparently was drugged. Then Cynthia…uh…that was the girls name, Cynthia started doing this dance."
"You trying to tell me you got a lap dance on an alien planet, Rodney?" I ask.
"I wish!" he exclaims.
I give him a glare that could skin fish.
"I mean I wish that was all," he says.
My stomach drops, "Rodney," I say. I want it to sound stern, but it comes out like pained.
"I was drugged. And she finished her dance. And just because I was drugged, I go with her and…" he says.
"You slept with some alien chick," I way my voice sounding even despite the fact that I was putting a lot more focus on not throwing up than on what my words sounded like.
"I was drugged," he said again.
"This doesn't explain why you aren't coming home," I say. My worry not stopping my anger.
"The people of Argos only live one hundred days. They have some robots in their blood that make them age faster than normal. And these robots are passed by the exchange of fluid."
"That's one hell of an STD," I say still sounding pissed although I've more or less crossed over into worry now.
"They brought back samples, they are trying to work on a cure," he says.
"And you're aging a year per day?" I ask.
He nods, "They better figure this out fast, or you'll be way too old for me," I say trying to remain flippant about the whole thing.
"Vala, I am seriously so sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am," he says.
"You do know you were sleeping with someone who is what? A few months old?"
"One month old," he says.
"Pervert," I tease.
"I'm so sorry," he says again, not in the mood to find this situation funny. I find that just a little bit comforting.
"We'll talk about this when you get home, safe and sound," I say with a smile. Right now, for a second, I wish we'd said I love you before. But we've never said that to each other. Right after he cheats on me isn't going to be the first time I say that to him. Even if he might be dying. We say goodbye, and I finally lose my battle for the keeping of my lunch. The people in the control room look at my sympathetically. They probably think it has to do with Rodney. Well it does, but not the way they are thinking.
Sha're's POV
July 1995 Colorado Springs
I'm pretty annoyed. Whoever is ringing my door bell at midnight thirty better have a damn good reason.
"Sha're," Vala says softly. She looks like hell. I remember hearing about Daniel's last mission. What happened to Rodney, who Vala has been dating.
"Come on in," I say. My anger is gone.
"I'm sorry to bother you so late," she says.
"No problem, want some wine, some coffee?" I ask. These are two things she usually jumps at the chance to consume. We spent many nights over these two things talking about what was going on in her life.
"No thanks," she says.
I sit down on the couch, and smile, "So talk about it."
"Rodney cheated on me," she said.
Somehow this surprises me. I mean I guess that is technically true, but from the way Daniel told the story it didn't seem like it was all his fault. Plus I thought she'd be more worried about the fact he might be dying.
"He was drugged," I offer.
"That is exactly what he kept saying, over and over again," she mutters.
"Vala, remember how we talked about how you aren't responsible for the things Qetesh did while in your body?" I say.
"He didn't have a Gou'ald in him," she says softly.
"No, but a girl did give him a date rape drug, and then have sex with him in what I understand was a pretty public place. An act which gave him a possibly deadly disease. I don't think he'd choosethat."
Vala is crying. Crap went too far. I wrap her in my arms, and hold her until the tears stop.
"I'm sorry I'm acting like a blubbering idiot," she says.
"We all do that sometimes," I say smiling.
"Must be the hormones," she says. Vala isn't normally one to be so open about her cycle. She's usualy bashful about that. I'm about to offer her some chocolate. Earth's cure for mood swings, we she adds, "'cause I'm pregnant."
"You're pregnant?" I repeat.
She nods.
"Does Rodney know?"
She shakes her head.
"It is Rodney's right?" I ask.
"Of course not, I'm the kind of girl who would be pissed at her boyfriend for sleeping with someone else while drugged while she is pregnant with someone else's baby," she says sarcastically.
"Right, I'm sorry, stupid question," I say.
"Thing is, we were always so careful. And then the stupid Broca virus, and we aren't thinking about protection anymore," she says with a sigh, "And then just when I finally get up the courage to tell him he's on an alien planet married to another woman. He didn't even tell me that part. Your husband spilled the beans on that one."
"Rodney didn't know he was marrying her. It doesn't really count if he doesn't know," I offer.
Her head bangs against the table, "The father of my child is married to another woman, and dying on an alien planet."
I wrap my arms around her, and shut up for a little bit, because really words don't fix things like this.
When she's calmer. I ask, "Do you know what you're going to do about the baby?"
"I always thought…I mean I never knew how opposed I was to abortion. Then I had this baby inside me. I can't even consider it. Adoption is probably what I should do. I mean I could give the baby a chance at a good life. But in the end I think I'm going to be way too attached to it."
"You know I'll be here to help. And Catherine is retired, and loves babies," I say patting her hand.
"I appreciate that," she says with a smile, "I don't know if it's better to wait until we know Rodney's alright to tell him, or tell him how," she says, "I mean he has so much on his plate."
"If you thought you were going to die, wouldn't you want to know a part of you is going to live on?" I ask.
A'kili's screams break through the night. I get up to go to him, and Vala follows me. When we get to the room she leans against the doorpost. I go in and pick him up, "Mother," he says. He's a year and half, and still only has nineteen words. Each of these words is a command, a demand. He has no other use for language than getting his needs met. This particular word means pick me up right now.
That's the biggest change in Aki. He likes to be held a lot now. I pick him up, and he tells me "squee" "squee" I barely hold him between, and when he asks for a squeeze I give it to him. Being in control of physical contact makes it endurable for him.
I turn to Vala, she's grinning at me. "Can Auntie Vala hold you, Aki?" I ask.
He looks at her, "Yes," he says.
She takes him, and looks so much like a mother. She does that little squeeze thing until he's relaxed. She places him back in his crib, and her hands are on her own stomach.
"I never thought about kids. Or if I did in some distant way where I would have my whole life together before they came along. But now that this one is coming…I can't wait," she says with a smile.
"You need to tell Rodney," I say.
"He's going to freak," she says.
"If you predicted your own reaction before there was a real baby you would have thought you were going to freak right?" she nods, "So maybe you're wrong about him to. It's his kid." She nods, "Going to stay here tonight?" I ask.
"Yeah, could you get me paper and pen, before you go to bed?" she asks.
"The baby needs rest," I say.
"I'll give it some, just after I write its father a really important letter, ok?" she asks. I nod, and get her what she needs.
Rodney's POV
July 1995 Argos
As soon as I see her face on the video screen I start saying, "Vala, I'm so sorry, so sorry, Vala."
She gives me this faint worried smile, "Listen Rodney, there is a note in your supplies. I need you to go get it, and read it to yourself right now. I don't want the control room to know what it says, but I want to see your face as you read it."
"Ok," I say, "But you know I'm so sorry Vala." I go over and get the note, and settle down in front of her to read it.
"Rodney,
First of all we'd better discus your current situation. I haven't forgiven you for it. But I'm going to. When you are back healthy, and safe, I'll eventually forgive you. After you suck up and buy me some nice things of course. I know that it was mostly not your fault. That she drugged you, and that it was basically a rape. That you are the victim.
But I'm still mad. For now.
I also wish you'd told me you were married to her. It hurt to find that out second hand. I'm also wondering what you are going to do about that marriage. I'd like for you to tell me that now."
I look up at Vala's face through the TV screen, "I already had it annulled. I didn't want to die married to someone I wasn't in love with. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about that part. I figured the parts I did tell you were enough to make you hate me."
I see something in her face when I say, "wasn't in love with." I know I've never said those words to Vala. And right now with four control room techs pretending they aren't watching is not the right time. I go back to the letter.
"But the real purpose of the letter is to let you know the consequences of the last time you had sex under the influence of alien technology-namely the Boca virus (at least I'm hoping that was the last time you had sex under the influence of alien technology). The consequences of that action is a little baby growing inside of me. Don't freak out."
I lock eyes with Vala. I'm freaking out. Trying not to show it.
"Vala," I say. My stomach is doing flips, but I'm smiling.
"You're smiling," she says sounding really surprised.
"That is what people tend to when they find out good news," I say.
"I didn't know you'd be considering this good news," she says carefully.
"It's surprising, unexpected news. It's news that makes me extra sure I want to get home safe, and not leave you to deal with said news alone. But it's good news. How do you feel about the news?" I ask.
"I think you have some letter left," she says.
"This is so not the way I wanted to tell you. But there it is. I'm pregnant. I'm definitely keeping the baby. I don't know how you feel about this, but it's the only choice I can make. As soon as I knew it existed I loved it."
I smile at her in the screen, "Good choice," I say smiling at her. She starts to cry. I lift my hand to wipe the tears away they hit screen. Can't touch her. Back to the letter.
I wish could tell you under different circumstances. I would love to wait until you got home. But if you died without knowing that a piece of you lives on. I couldn't deal with it.
And don't worry. I won't name the baby Meredith Jr."
"Vala, I have a sister. I know I don't talk about her much. Her name is Jeannie. Jeannie Miller. You know where I keep my address book right," she nods. "If this doesn't work out, you have to find her. Tell her who you are. She'll be there for you."
"You're going to be fine, Rodney," she says looking even more worried.
"Of course I am, this is just in case," I say with a smile.
"Ok, well, I just wanted you to know that Rodney," she says with a smile, "I'm going to get going now. You make sure to get better," she says with a grin.
The stargate shuts down, and I lean against a rock. I can't believe I'm going to be a father. Or rather that if I live, I'm going to be a father. The chances of living long enough to actually meet this kid don't look too great. Guilt gnaws at my stomach. I'm such as screw up. Not one, but two bouts of sex leave me dying of an alien virus far away from the mother of my child. Really messed this one up.
I never really thought about being a father. I never would have said, "Hey let's have a kid." Not now, and probably not ever. But the thought of my kid actually existing. It's a good thing. A terrifying good thing. It'd be a better thing if I wasn't about to die.
Janet's POV
July 1995 SGC
It's bad enough that I'm losing sleep trying to save the world's most annoying person. It's made much worse by the fact that his annoying girlfriend is in here trying to help me. Finally I can't take it anymore.
"Vala, you know nothing about medicine or science. I understand you want to help, but you are just not qualified to help."
One hand goes to her stomach, and she starts to cry. "I'm sorry," I say.
"No, I'm sorry," she says whipping away her tears, "It's these damn hormones."
I freeze, "hormones?"
"Yeah, you thought there were no effects left from the Broca virus. Turns out there is one more, and with any luck it will be around for some ninety years. Unlike its father," she says.
"Vala, I didn't know," I say rubbing her back. Then I pause, "I'm your doctor you should have told me. If it's from the Broca incident you've got to be two months along. We should…"
"Save McKay, and then you can probe the pregnant alien," she says pointing to my microscope.
Deep breath. I'm used to doing the impossible. Maybe I should call Sam to come to the impossible with me. I think I remember something about nanotechnology in her file.
Vala's POV
August 1995 Colorado Springs
I had no idea the father of my child was such a whiner. "You told me to contact your sister," I remind him.
"No, actually what I said was, 'If I die contact my sister.' They found the cure. I'm not going to die. So there is no need to involve Jeannie."
"We're still having a baby," I remind him.
"That's no reason to involve my sister. I meant if you were all scared and alone and needed someone to help you. You don't need her. You have me," he's trying to start an argument by making me sound all defenseless. I'm not taking the bait.
"You're useless. I want Jeannie. Now are you driving to the airport or am I?" I ask.
"If we don't pick her up, do you think she'll go away?" he asks.
"I'm driving then," I say snapping the keys out of his hand. The fact that he hates this woman this much means she's got to be someone really fun to know. I look over at him, and can't help but smile. So glad he's not dying of old age right now. So glad my baby is going to have a father. Although…I'm sort of hoping whining isn't genetic. Two whinny McKays might drive me over the edge.
Jeannie's POV
August 1995 Colorado Springs
"Meredith!" I exclaim as loudly as I can giving him the sort of hug which humiliates him. Serves him right, "First time you talk to me since I get married, and it's only because your girlfriend invites me out to see you!" I turn to her, giving her a big hug, "You must be Vala."
"That I am," she says with a wide grin.
"So where are you from Vala? Are you a native to Colorado?" I ask.
"Actually I'm from a little planet you people like to call P3X-792, that is originally, most recently I was living on…" she says.
Meredith shoots her a dirty look, "Vala, could you cut out the, 'I'm an alien' jokes with my sister. No one finds them funny."
She grins at him, "Whatever you say Meredith."
"I told you, you couldn't call me that," Meredith protests.
"She can," Vala grins.
"She's my sister," he says.
"Well I'm the…" Vala starts.
"Vala!" he says, and she clams his mouth shut.
"So what do you see in him?" I ask her.
She looks over at him with a wide grin, "To be perfectly honest. I haven't the slightest idea."
I haven't seen my brother once in the year since I got married. He seems to think I was a complete idiot for getting pregnant and getting married. But I love my daughter, and I wouldn't change it for the world. This past six months being home with my daughter are things I wouldn't trade for the world. Granted she was a bit of an accident. I meant to work five or six years before having a family. But life doesn't always go the way it's planned.
The only bad thing about having Madi was losing Meredith. It isn't like we were ever that close. I mean we never really understood one another, or had a string of touchy feeling moments. But once in a while we'd get working on a physics problems, and…we had some connection. Some closeness. Something I've totally lost ever since I left the physics world, and my brother skipped my wedding.
There is something going on between the two of them. I'm not quite sure what it is. But there is some closeness between them I've never seen Meredith have with anyone before. She holds his hand, runs her fingers over his collar, and rests her hand on his knee. He lets her do all this. He even scoots his chair closer to hers.
He glances at her stomach. Suddenly I get it.
"Oh my God, she's pregnant!" I exclaim. Meredith, Vala, the waiter, and about half the restaurant turn to stare. But I don't care, because I'm so right. "Congratulations Meredith!" I add at a normal volume.
Vala's POV
August 1995 Colorado Springs
Jeannie and I have been having fun all night. Rodney, not so much. He has just been picking at his food, and staying quiet. When Jeannie gets up to go to the bathroom I ask him what's wrong.
"A year ago Jeannie got married. She was having a baby, and she quit physics to stay home with the baby. I thought it was a big waste of talent, and we haven't really talked since," he says quietly.
"You're talking now," I say, "Well, actually I'm talking, you're moping. But you could be talking. See you open up your mouth, and…"
"Yeah, I made contact with her. No, not even, my pregnant girlfriend made contact with her. Only because I'm in the same situation she was in a year ago. I feel like a hypocrite. I wasn't there when she needed me, and she's right here for me."
I would have warned him if I'd seen Jeannie behind him, but the honest truth is I didn't. Not until I hear her voice.
"You're not too late, Meredith, I could always use a brother."
Sha'uri's POV
September 1996
It's official. Kindergarten is a complete waste of time for my daughter.
Right now she's reading the Ramona Quimby series. Not exactly the kind of literature her classmates are tackling, even the one other student who can read is working through Dr. Seuss. She can add, and subtract in her head than most kids double her age can with a calculator. She can even do a bit of fractions based on helping me cook. Her handwriting isn't that great. But she's pretty good about getting her thoughts down on paper as long as she can sound out the spelling words. And she is of course fluent in three languages, with a smattering of two more.
Dan'yel comes through the door. "How was school today?" he asks her.
"Boring," she responds with an eye roll, as she leaves the room.
He looks at me. "Dan'yel. I'm thinking of homeschooling Hesina. We should maybe enroll her in piano and swimming lessons for socialization and gaining a little challenge and the rest I can teach her hear. She already knows everything they plan on teaching her for the next two years."
"You want to do this? Because there are other options. Skipping grades, gifted programs…" he stops in the middle, grinning, "You really want to do this," he says with confidence, "Yeah, I think we should get the paper work going. Maybe we want to leave her in for gym and recess just so she can make some friends," he adds.
"Maybe art too," I say thoughtfully, "Don't know anything about art, and she does enjoy it."
"We'll talk to the teacher about it," he says giving me a kiss.
A/N: I'm aware that I'm having Madison Miller entered the world three years earlier than in the non-AU version of the story. But this story is AU. So I'm ignoring what I know about genetics, and pretending the exact same sperm intersected with the exact same egg three years earlier. If you are a Stargate fan you obviously are capable of believing that aliens taken from ancient Mongolia, North America, Africa, and every other spot on the globe all speak English, and live on planets that all look like British Colombia. So this shouldn't be hard for you. Suspend the disbelief baby.
Also, if you think my take on Hesina is unrealistic most of it is based on a real FOUR year old I know, and Hesina is five. I made her a little better writer, and added in the fractions, but I figure that isn't too much for a year of development.
