Author's note: Please review and tell me if you wanna see some of the other stories, I love having the focus on Daniel and Jack but with the children, that could be changing. Please review for me.

Chapter Ten: A Queen's Apology

Daniel woke for a second time that morning, still wrapped around the small wiggling figures of his children and again missed Jack and Zale's presence. He turned around to find Johnny playing with his privates so Daniel slipped off the bed and got him to the bathroom so Johnny wouldn't have an accident. As he waited for his son to get done he slipped out of the bedroom and down the hall to each of the children's rooms to get clean clothes that he'd laid out for them then headed back to see each child waking slowly on the bed. He realized that DK and her two children were not in the bedrooms, any of them so they were either downstairs or gone.

He tossed outfits on the bed, each pile next to the corresponding child before he slipped back into the bathroom where Johnny was pulling off his pajamas and kicking out of them slowly. Daniel took a few minutes to help Johnny into his clothes then washed both of their hands as the other children each came in to use the facilities and moved around them easily. This routine was well rehearsed, even in Daddy's bedroom and bathroom. They each waited their turns and never pushed Johnny. Claire and Janet might nudge each other and Zada would be quietly annoyed with her younger siblings but Daniel loved this time they could have together without anger and agitation.

They all tumbled out of the bedroom and down the stairs only to find a grand breakfast of fruit and eggs with biscuits laid out for them to start on. Daniel pulled together a small plate for Johnny then sat his youngest down at the table where DK and her children were already munching slowly on their breakfast. Daniel leaned down and kissed Johnny on the head then walked around the table and hugged DK and kissed her cheek, "Thank you Demi," he whispered.

She nodded with a smile, kissed his forehead before he pulled away. Zada was trying to keep a food fight from starting between the twins so Daniel stepped in the middle of the starting chaos and within a few minutes they were all around the table, talking in Spanish easily even inviting DK into the conversation since she was in many of Daniel's classes and knew the basics.

Daniel let the normality of the morning sweep him away, not letting the fear and anxiousness appear on his face and tried to tone it down when he was touching the children because they had always had the ability to sense surface emotions through contact. Sammy and Janet decided to go with Sam when she dropped by to see how Daniel was doing. Sam was happy to have the girls come with her for the morning and afternoon. Johnny didn't want to leave Daniel's side since he was struggling with Jack's absence and the stress it was causing in Daniel plus he loved hanging out with Daniella. Zada also refused to leave, wanting to be close to her Daddy when Zale gave her any information she could relay. Daniel couldn't help freaking out a little that Zale had been out of touch for so long.

Daniel's day continued as normally as he could muster, DK was upstairs putting both her little ones down for a nap in the twins' bedroom. Daniel was playing in the living room with Johnny and Zada, reading stories and playing make believe when there was a knock at the door. Daniel stood up and walked over to open it to find Queen Zarkina standing there. Her black hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she was wearing her battle leathers. Daniel turned away and walked back to the floor where Johnny was curled up around a pillow, taking a nap. Daniel settled down next to him and ignored the queen as she walked in and Taylor ran in behind her to grab Daniel around the neck in a hug. Daniel smiled and kissed the side of her neck, "Hey girl."

Taylor giggled, "Hey Daniel."

Then she grabbed Zada and ran off to the stairs and disappeared upstairs. Daniel glared after the girls for a second, "You needed privacy to tell me you left him behind?" he asked the queen.

He looked up at her as she came around the furniture and sat down on the floor in front of Daniel. He listened as the leathers stretched and squeaked but she said nothing and just watched her face.

"Taylor wanted to see how Zada was doing," Akina finally said.

"You just have to have things you're way right?" Daniel asked quietly, not wanting an angry conversation to wake Johnny. "Jack shouldn't be out there right now and for the love of God, neither should my son."

"Zale left because he believed he had the power to save his father, you cannot fault that spirit because he got it from you."

Daniel's gaze snapped back to her green ones, "I know that but now Zada lost contact with him and she doesn't know what could cause that."

"If he overextended himself magically he may have passed out, it might be such a deep sleep that even in dreams he cannot reach out to her. This lack of communication can be easily explained by a deep sleep, it does not have to be that he is hurt or dead."

Daniel pushed himself to his feet, "Don't say that word in reference to my little boy."

"Daniel, I did not come here to fight with you. I came here to tell you I would have stayed on his trail and brought him back if it was not for the need of your son to save him." at that Daniel glared at her, "I am not blaming either of them but you have to admit through out your years here, I have always made sure he got back to you, this is special treatment that I have only ever done for you."

"Because we're weak, right?" Daniel snapped, hissing the words at her before he walked back to the kitchen so his anger wouldn't radiate close to Johnny. He heard Akina's leather shifting as she stood but he ignored her.

"Daniel, in this world full of magic and warriors, you and the rest of your family is unique and should be taken care of. Jack and Teal'c have given my warriors a new way to fight that does not require magic and you have given history back to this world. I know it's always been a hard position for you, watching Jack go off with me but he insists as much as I insist. He has always been a fine voice on my council for this cold war we seem to be trapped in but if he needs to stay a voice instead of a presence that has to be up to him, not you or me."

Daniel nodded, swiping at the tears that were blurring his vision of her. It was the same argument he'd been having with Jack for years now. There never seemed to be an end to the war Jack was trapped in within himself as well as with the Vannas and the queen. Jack needed to be useful in a fight and Daniel couldn't stop him from doing what he needed so desperately to do: be useful.

Akina had followed him to the kitchen and grabbed Daniel's arm to pull him into a stiff hug. Daniel just stood with his arms at his side not gripping her in a hug that he so desperately wanted. "I know Daniel, I understand better than you might think. I sometimes have to allow my friends and family to continue my job for me because I am not just charged with protecting my family, I am charged with protecting my people. Jack is not just your husband and your partner and fellow parent, he is also a warrior set in his ways and in the knowledge that he has to protect all those around him and those he loves."

Daniel pulled away from Akina, "You may know what its like to be Jack but you don't know what its like to be in love with someone like Jack or you."

Akina nodded and added with a huff of laughter, "You are correct my friend, I do not know what being with me is like."

"And you don't know what being in love with a selfish son of a gun like Jack is all about," Daniel grumbled as he started cleaning up around the kitchen, anything to stay away from that look in the Queen's eyes. That empathy which looked a lot like pity.

"I do know what it's like to be in a loving relationship, its not supposed to be easy and you know that. Jack and Zale will be back soon and you can yell at your beloved in person."

Daniel nodded at the counter and felt Akina's hand across his shoulder just before he heard Zada yell, "Daddy!" from upstairs. He rushed past Akina and caught her in his arms as she was racing down the stairs as fast as her legs could carry her.

"What is it baby?" Daniel asked even as he glanced over to see Johnny sit up with a frown on his face but didn't look disturbed by the yelling.

"Zale is awake and okay, and he's with Papa."

Daniel gasped and hugged his daughter again, "Thank god their okay. Where are they sweetie?"

Zada shook her head, "I can barely hear Zale in my mind, and I think he boxed up his Magis, it's the only reason he would be so quiet. He said that they are on one of the islands that is around the Valley."

Daniel kissed his daughter on the forehead and looked at Akina who nodded, "I will contact Adrian and the others looking for Jack and tell them to come on back home or close to home anyway," she said and gave a wink. He smiled for the first time at her and watched as she gathered Taylor to her side and left the room. Daniel reached out and motioned to Johnny who ran over with an uncertain smile on his face.

"Papa's coming home, so is Zale," Daniel told his son.

Johnny slipped one of his hands onto Daniel's cheek and he felt the relief surging through his little boy. Daniel's eyes moistened again at the thought that their youngest son seems unable to really catch a break emotionally. He was still 'listening' to his son's emotions when they shifted and his body stiffened against Daniel. He frowned and listened to Johnny, whose emotions shifted to fear and uncertainty once more. Daniel soothed him with his hands and grip as well as his words, "What's going on baby?"

Zada reached over and placed a hand around the back of Johnny's neck and tried to get some information, as only Zada and Zale were capable of doing. She tilted her head and stayed silent for a few moments before she looked at her Daddy, "I don't think Zale and Papa are going to be found in time, something's going to find them first."

"They'll be back though, they'll be fine," Daniel whispered into Johnny's hair and just kept holding his children as they shuddered in reawakened fear and frustration. Daniel looked up as DK came downstairs, "Can you let the twins and Sam know that Jack and Zale are okay for now and we have a better idea of where they are."

DK nodded, "Neil and Dani are asleep in the girls' room, will you listen for if they wake before I return."

"Of course I will," Daniel said as he stood and reached out to hug the woman before she walked out of the back door, which had a small well-worn path from one house to the next. Daniel moved to sit on the couch and settled back against the cushions and Johnny climbed up on one side and Zada on the other.

"Pretty soon, we are all going to be together again. I don't care what is going to find Papa and Zale, they are going to get back here to us."

Johnny was playing with his hands, running them up and down the pants of his legs. He loved textures and the feel of the well-worn slacks comforted him when he was wound up and afraid. Daniel wrapped an arm over each small shoulder and kissed one head then the other. Zada handed him one of the books of the Vannas history and Daniel started reading quietly, the history of their home always interested Zada and Zale and Johnny loved listening to either Jack or Daniel read to him. Again Daniel allowed the normalcies of life take him over and within minutes DK was back with chattering Claire and Janet in tow, closely followed by Sam, Teal'c and their kids. Everyone gathered in the living area, the parents on the couch with Sam gripping Daniel's hand while the gaggle of children played with learning toys, some speaking in various languages which made Daniel smile. Johnny played with Ishtar and Dani when she came down from her nap.

DK came down with Neil as well but Daniel reached out and took the little tyke who still looked like he didn't want to be awake yet, he shared his parents raven black locks and the deep brown eyes to match. Daniel tucked the small child into his arms and jiggled the child a little to get the little grin from him. Sometimes he missed this age with his kids, he could still pick up all of his children but Zale and Zada had been mentally too old for that for a while. Neil was just barely two years old and there was nothing like holding someone so young and little and knowing the beauty of being a part of that little one's life. He remembered this feeling from when Zale and Zada were born; only to be followed by Claire and Janet and Johnny.

He also was around when Daniella was born and held her constantly when Adrian and DK both still lived here. This crisis did one thing, brought his friends and adopted family back into their home and it was something that Daniel appreciated though at the same time, it was only really his family when Jack and Zale were here.

Daniel proceeded to rock the baby until he decided he was fully awake then Daniel released Neil to the floor next to his mom's legs and watched everyone play for a while. He kept an eye on Johnny, watching for the fear to return despite the fact he was playing with some of his communication toys with Daniella. He also would spare a glance frequently for Zada so when she tilted her head and got that glazed look in her eyes, he reached out and took her hand, "Zada?"

"Zale says Papa is protecting him from something but they can't see it."

DK interrupted before Zada could continue, "It will be all right little one, Adrian and Kirkan are closing in on their location, and they can hear Jack in the distance."

Daniel and Zada took identical sighs of relief and they were back to the waiting game, which Daniel was starting to hate so much.