"I still can't believe you're going," Adrienne teased from across the bed watching Daniel adjust his tac vest, a huge smile across his face.
"I have to go. If we don't start finding gates and get this bridge up and running, I'll kill Rodney," he explained simply, Adrienne laughing and shaking her head.
"So you're breaking our rule about two parents leaving the base at the same time to save Rodney's life?" she had to ask, even jokingly. Given everything that had been going on, although they still hadn't heard a peep outta Ford, his declaration last night as she had gotten out of the shower had taken her off guard.
"Nicholas is fine with Jack, in fact, he's been spending a decent amount of time with Elias showing him the blocks and messing with the educational portions of the Data system. I've looked over your prep work so I'm not going in blind. Even YOU say that it's just a simple recon mission, go in, check out the gate, take some readings and come home. What's the worst that could happen?"
Now his wife frowned.
"You could die."
"Not funny ja-wer," Daniel rolled his eyes as she bit her lip playfully, batting at him with a pillow, "and besides, don't you wanna make sure everyone knows that I'm taken."
"Tchew," Adrienne spat, dropping the pillow and walking to get her staff weapon, "this planet is abandoned for one, no hot alien chicks for you and two, could we get more arrogant?"
"We could..." he said with a wink, escaping the room before she could throw something at him.
"Just wait until I get his ass back in the training room..." the Cajun grumbled, following along to hear her son shouting from ahead.
"Dad, what's gotten into you!?"
She turned the corner to take her into the living area to find Nicholas thrown over his father's shoulder, the latter laughing loudly as he tickled his eldest child. Daniel did seem really happy, much more than normal, and she was pretty sure she knew why.
It was Helena.
Knowing what they were having and having a name settled had had this effect on him that she couldn't explain. He was so happy, vibrant, and to be honest, she kinda loved it.
Last night, for example, she had really loved it.
She had really really really loved it...
"You're getting big," his father answered with another loud laugh, "bigger than I can keep up. Pretty soon I'm not gonna be able to do this anymore!"
"I don't want you to do it now put me down!"
"Put him down sha, he's getting too big," Adrienne said with a smile, taking a step forward to help her son back to the floor.
"That was my entire point," Daniel answered, letting Nicholas go, the boy adjusting his t-shirt in embarrassment.
"Don't worry beb," Adrienne added quickly as she handed her son his own pack he used to transport his things back and forth to the O'Neill's and the classroom each day, "pretty soon we'll have a little baby to cuddle and your dad will be all over that."
"I need to tell her to watch out," the boy joked, "so he doesn't throw her in the air either."
His father frowned, playfully though, laughing again as he fake reached for his son a second time.
What had gotten into her husband?
Last night was love making like they hadn't had in, well, longer than she could remember, teasing, touching, a very sexy bubble bath between sessions, lord they had had sessions of love making, only to have him spring out of bed the next morning and serve her fruit before she could even pull back the covers.
What ever had gotten into her husband she was enjoying immensely and wasn't about to rain on his parade.
"So both of you are going on this mission?" Nicholas asked as he pulled the straps to his shoulders, Adrienne nodding her head.
"That's what I said," Adrienne couldn't resist the urge, walking over to wrap her arms around Daniel's waist, "I wanna know what's gotten into your dad as much as you do..."
Smiling, he seemed truly happy, not a care in the world, "Nothing's gotten into me. I just get sick of sitting around the office. It's boring."
"And he's hiding from Rodney," Nicholas guessed, Adrienne chuckling before kissing her husband who seemed to be blushing.
"I think that's a pretty good guess," she replied, not letting go of him, like this, for a minute, why couldn't they go back to bed...
"No Nicholas," he grumbled as he kissed her again, cuddling her right here in the kitchen, "I miss your mother. We used to work together all of the time and now I never get to work with her. I just wanted to spend the day with her, working side by side like we used to; is that a crime?"
"You could ask Uncle Jack if I could spend the night you so guys could spend the day together here or something," their son offered with a shrug, Adrienne trying not to imagine a repeat of last night with no chances of interruption...
"Need I remind you both that according to you, I used to the grumpy one, something you two always get on me about and now that I'm happy you're the ones being grumpy with me," he teased, leaving her arms, no don't go her body begged but he was glowing, simply glowing and it was contagious, she was getting excited about working side by side with him too.
"We're not being grumpy Indy, you know that Nicholas and I aren't morning people. You're asking us to be chipper pre-coffee..." she joked as she shouldered her own pack.
"Are you letting the boy drink coffee?" Daniel asked quickly, his hand stopped mid-air over his own bag.
"Are you letting the boy fly jumpers?"
"Point taken," Daniel laughed, his handsome cheeks flushing again, reaching to hold her hand on the way to the commissary.
She let him.
Screw decorum.
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The city was buzzing not necessarily with excitement like Daniel but with some kind of a new energy that Adrienne couldn't place. The gatebridge was on everyone's mind, the discovery of the Suban people exciting to everybody and now the news of the Jackson baby had spread through the city like wildfire.
Okay, Adrienne thought, I guess I can see why Daniel's so happy; everything's going great.
Squeezing his hand as they continued their walk, Adrienne let herself breathe in the scent of the freshly growing flowers from the potted plants that Radek had been depositing around the city.
"Morning Dr. Jackson!" Richard Davidson yelled from across the hallway, Daniel waving back with his free hand.
Davidson? Yelling? Adrienne shook her head in confusion. Davidson was a nice guy, a great assistant, but all military, like a younger and less goofy version of her good buddy Cam; but today? Today he seemed more alive than usual, much like her significant other.
"Good morning, beautiful day isn't it?" Daniel shouted back with a smile, even brighter than before.
Overwhelmed by a general feeling of contentment, just as she had felt when they finally went to sleep last night, Adrienne on her side, Daniel curled around her body holding her so tightly, she looked at her husband, pulling from his hand and slipping her palm to his back.
"I love you, you know that?"
"Of course I do, I love you too but it IS gorgeous today. I saw Carson and Jack out fishing on the balcony this morning, sun shining down on them. Honestly, if we didn't need this gate I'd take you and Nicholas to the mainland to relax, have a quiet lazy day..."
"Ford and all?" Adrienne interrupted, Daniel returning her half hug.
"Ford and all. Ad, I don't think, well, I have a good feeling. About everything. It's just going to be a great day, I know it!"
A kiss again at her head and he was letting go to chase their son, who really didn't wanna be chased as Adrienne stuffed her hands into her pockets, her stomach rumbling.
"These people are too happy this morning," she thought, even though there was a smile breaking out across her face too, "this is too happy. I hate morning people."
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Halling hadn't expected the trip to be easy, or short, but very quickly it was becoming apparent that without the gene needed to push the ship forward he was having to remember how John Sheppard told him they had altered the ship for emergencies such as these. In the meantime there were eighteen Athosians, including himself that were cramped, hungry, and in need of food, water and space. There had been a few scuffles amongst the crew, things that he wished he had Kanaan to help squelch, but they were going to have to stop, somewhere and get food and water.
His aging fingers danced at the dash, running scanners, everything he had learned in his time away from his home and village. For hours that seemed like days they were alone in space, traveling in the blackness, the only display on his screen a tiny blip that seemed too far away. It wasn't Atlantica, fortunately the ship had been programed to go there automatically, but it was another world, one that seemed capable of sustaining humanoid life. The ship could be made to stop, he remembered that to be one of the easier things to do, and he would have to before it got too out of hand here. He was pushing his luck already with weight, the warning lights flashing maniacally, so maybe it was for the best that they stop.
There was grumbling behind him, the stirrings of another argument he could tell. Decision made, he tapped the screen, altering their course.
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"Addy could you open the panel underneath the Cra Chevron," Sam called out, Adrienne standing immediately to help out in some way. Normally she wouldn't have minded sitting around, but this was really a mission for Sam and maybe a staff, not she, Daniel, Vala and Sam. Vala wasn't moaning just yet and her husband was taking pictures of the expanse of nothing surrounding them like there was anything to see, leaving Adrienne to read a book, her own work being handled by Teyla and her staff.
Thank god for Teyla.
"Yeah of course," she wanted to be useful, rushing to the right side of the gate and prying the area open as requested.
"There should be a crystal jutting down, right on top as soon as you shift the panel, red in color..."
"I see it," Adrienne replied, her eyes darting around the machines inner components. She made a mental note to herself to start learning how these things worked, laughing internally at the thought since, as Daniel kept telling her, she didn't need anything else on her plate.
"Touch it to the one next to it," the general's voice shouted over, a face peeking at the Cajun's shoulder. She peered back, expecting Daniel, wanting to steal another kiss like she had been all morning, but it was Vala, curious and not whining.
Wonders never ceased.
"Got it," Adrienne shouted back making sure to lean out of the way so Vala could see what she was dong.
"What's that check?"
"I dunno," Adrienne was honest as she really didn't but based on the tablet in Sam's hands had a rough idea, "but I think it makes sure that gate will work remotely so it can get commands from the main DHD at one end of the bridge."
"It does," the former general's voice confirmed, a surge of pride rushing through the archaeologist.
"Good call," Vala praised, tapping her shoulder.
"I get one right every once in a while," Adrienne said with a shrug, definitely adding learn how the gates work to her list.
"Uh huh," Vala teased, stepping away, her hands shoved to her hips, "You get everything right. Glasses loves you because you're perfect."
Adrienne turned preparing to call her friend a bitch, or something else, knowing she was messing with her since usually, much like 'Glasses' she had things blow up in her face, pausing as the word started to cross her lips.
Vala wasn't kidding, her face was deadly serious and it creeped Adrienne out for a moment, the compliment, the expression, that smile...
"Val," she used Ronon's nickname for her friend, shaking her head as she spoke, "just..."
"WOO HOO!" a pale glance with dark eyes shot over to Sam, drawing her zat, eyeing her staff weapon lying too far away, Ad you idiot, why didn't you think that Ford...
"IT'S PERFECT! WE HAVE A WINNER!""
Or not...
Sam wasn't frightened, or anything close, she was elated, dancing around like a little girl.
"It works!" and here was her ever-wandering husband jogging over to meet them, a smile on his handsome face, even brighter than this morning.
It made her want to rush into his arms and kiss him, friends standing here or not.
"YES! Not a single repair needed! How did we get so lucky?"
"It's not luck," Daniel was at his wife's side now with that grin, an arm tossed over her shoulder, Adrienne slipping her arm around his waist, "it's talent. You, Addy, hell Rodney. I knew I could count on you three to get it done."
Adrienne frowned at him, her eyes cutting to Sam, who didn't seem to think it was strange in the least that Daniel was praising Rodney, her husband's constant critic.
Instead, Sam was blushing with pride.
Too weird...
"So we're headed back?" Adrienne asked, pulling her arm from his waist, only at the sheer desire to get back to base, to their quarters, their bed, what was going on with her, already packing her things, when she noticed that no one else was leaving.
"I've got a few more things I wanna check out, just sheer curiosity..." Daniel said sheepishly, his eyes scanning the group, Vala pulling her jacket from her shoulders.
"I've got no husband and no kid, I'm gonna suntan and take a nap..."
"We have at least a few more hours before we're expected back and I would love to see some of those rock formations from the MALP scans; maybe the place used to be inhabited..." he was now looking at Adrienne and she wanted to protest but he looked so happy and she wanted to be with him, explore with him, dig in the dirt with him...
"Or not," Adrienne said, her pack dropping heavily from her shoulders.
"Come with me," and there wasn't discussion, her teammates starting right in on what they wanted to do, Vala's tank top thrown in the air as she made her way to an open space in bra only. Sam was back in her computer and there was a tug at her wrist, Daniel pulling her along, "it'll be like back at the SGC."
It would be, just like they used to be, investigating, learning, together.
How in the world did they get so lucky today?
Smiling she put her pack on her shoulders, a wave of happiness crashing into her, reaching her arms around his waist from behind.
"Right behind ya sha," she giggled, kissing his ear lightly and letting him lead her away.
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Nicholas Jackson, his body even bigger than the week before, maybe looking seven now, eight, Carson just guessed, sat on the veranda, a ripe peach shoved in his face.
"These are amazing, what did you say there are?"
"Peaches, Georgia peaches, from close to where Mom's from," he replied tapping at his tablet as Saurza withdrew the fruit, shoving it once again to her face. She'd been like this since breakfast after their parents had left, well, all but Ronon who Nicky remembered shouting across the commissary at John Sheppard inviting him to a pick-up basketball game after his shift. Nicholas didn't even know that Ronon had shifts, the man seemed to work all of the time, much like his dad would do, but evidently he did and evidently, he liked to play basketball afterwards. The colonel had waved back happily, agreeing to go after dinner, inviting a few others in the room to join in the festivities. Teyla even chimed in, volunteering to referee after she was done her work in the lab, the adults milling out shortly after leaving Nicholas, Saurza and Torren at the long cafeteria table.
"They're good," she munched happily, pointing to some trees further down as she chewed, her legs swinging from where she was sitting beside him, "what are those down the hall?"
"Apples," the boy answered, noting that Torren seemed to be trying to climb one of those very trees, his mom would kill him if she saw but that wasn't Nicholas' job to scold him. He had assignments, things his mother expected him to do, the list the main screen on his tablet computer.
"Do they taste this good?"
Nicholas shrugged, his eyes back on the screen. First it was his parents, more his dad than his mom, who had started the night before with jokes at dinner and was loud most of the night, singing some opera and then with his mom, which Nicholas really didn't want to hear. To make matters worse, everyone at breakfast and their plans for after work and now his friends, who had come bursting into his lab after he had gone there to do his homework, alone, his Uncle Jack still fishing with Carson.
He was starting to have a headache, a big one.
"Here, you can finish this, I'm gonna get an abble!" she declared, more like shouted, tossing the fruit his way. Wet, slimy meat slipped out of his small fingers, the peach hitting the floor.
"They're call apples..." he muttered to no one, as Saurza was already half-way down the hall in the direction of Torren, in the tree, not one passing adult batting an eye. He set the tablet aside, his boot laden feet hitting the floor, frowning as he grabbed the fruit from where it had fallen.
"I wonder if those nice cafeteria ladies would let me have some coffee, I'm so tired," he grumbling, looking to see where his friends had gone and if they wanted to walk with him, but they were gone, that is, completely gone, neither of them in sight any longer.
"Thanks guys, I feel the love..." he muttered, shoving his things into his backpack before walking the peach to a rubbage shoot, tossing it in before heading to his mom's lab.
Maybe there he could get something done before they got back.
And she had Advil; always a bonus.
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Daniel breathed in deeply, a broad satisfied smile creeping across his face.
"This place is gorgeous, I'm so glad I joined you," he declared, his hand blocking the sun from his eyes, her husband glowing nearly as much as the horizon, Adrienne giggling.
"You really are having a good day sha, aren't you?"
"I've got a gate that we can have hauled right to the bridge, a nice afternoon, clean fresh air on a beautiful planet, though not as beautiful as you are at this very moment," he was finally looking away from the sun, turning to face her as she shook her head.
"You're so silly."
He didn't speak, just reached for her chin, turning her face to him. With a sly grin on his face he kissed her softy, that ever present taste of coffee on his lips making her unable to resist the urge to lick them. He chuckled, pulling away to steal a glance at his watch, peering back at her smiling.
"We have time still, till we need to be back."
"And?" she asked, Daniel reaching for her hand.
"Let's just sit down, talk, look at the clouds," it was so unlike him, not the romantic part, even when times were tough he tried his damnedest to make sure that she was treated like a goddess, but it was something in the way that he said it that made her stomach go wild. She glanced around and for a brief moment didn't feel like a woman with responsibilities but free and relaxed, letting him lead her over to an area where the grasses seemed to be shorter.
"Here ok?" he said as he sat, an arm extended in her direction.
"It's fine sha, are you?" it was contagious, this happiness of his, and she knelt to join him, his hands already slipping around her.
"I'm wonderful; I'm with you. Everything is wonderful," he reached out further, taking her into his arms, wrapping his body around her and kissing her cheek, "Lay back..."
Giggling, she undid her tack vest, nuzzling back into his warm embrace.
"Anything new with the items the Suban sent?" he asked, curious, she had been pulling late hours again, climbing into bed with only enough energy to crawl onto his chest each night.
"Nothing I hadn't told you already, but they're drawings not photos, you know perspectives and all," she answered groggily as he ran his fingers through her hair.
"I've got you scheduled to go next week, if you're ok to lead a team?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" she asked, pulling away.
"Just with everything that's going on, I worry about you," and he was sitting forward again, reaching for her face, bringing their lips together, "I would miss this so much..."
He kissed her with passion, reaching behind her neck, somewhat aggressive like he would get sometimes while still so Daniel gentle. Breath at her lips and then her neck, Adrienne had been with this man long enough to know the signs and signals and in an instant of insanity turned to face him, pushing him back into the grass.
They had time...
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His mom's lab proved to be about as quiet as the hallway, which was a shock in that it wasn't bad rap music blasting from the speakers but some other music, tribal, something Teyla was dancing to as she filed, a stomach full of his sister and all.
"Welcome Nicholas!" she greeted before he could make it to his mother's desk to set up his things, the boy waving half-heartedly in reply.
"Hey," his voice squeaked out but he wasn't sure if she even heard, her hips swinging to the music, making some sounds of her own that sounded like chanting. Other than the initial greeting she said nothing else, whirling in a circle, a hand to her belly making the child wonder how his sister was faring inside of her gyrating host. Granted, it wasn't music like he preferred, he honestly leaned more toward his father's tastes when it came to music, but Adrienne Rowan Jackson was his mother and loud music was just a part of life.
That, however, wasn't what was distracting.
Teyla left the music at full blast, Nicholas concerned for the speakers as he could hear the low buzz of the circuits vibrating, threatening to erupt from their container. His mom's staff raced in and out, more alive and awake then he was used to seeing, they were normally more like his dad than his mom, quieter, in fact he had learned in his time here that a loud pierced professional like his mom was really an anomaly. They yammered, sorted, talking to Teyla, a few even stuck around to dance, which was odd as hell, but he tried to tune them out. John must have come down at least three times in an hour, the only time the music was turned down, to tell Teyla about something hilarious that Richard Davidson had said or done, Davidson, his dad's super military assistant and head gate tech acting like a big kid rather than Mr. Armed Forces like normal. Ronon stopped by twice, once to bring Teyla something to drink and another time to make sure that she was gonna referee that basketball game they had been planning at breakfast. His head began to hurt worse, small dark eyes peering at the clock on the wall, the gadget indicating that he had been here for a little over two hours and he had yet to complete one page of Latin to Ancient comparative translation, let alone even gotten to the Etruscan part or his Trig homework.
He was frustrated, tired, not feeling well and the fact that everyone else seemed, well, to not be frustrated, tired and not feeling well. Without so much as a word to Teyla, Nicholas packed up his things, throwing his backpack onto his shoulders to go back to his quarters.
"Shane!" the owner of the voice almost knocked him over, the tall blonde woman racing past. It was Lori Corbin, he only knew because she and her husband were in the throes of a very messy divorce that his father was having to deal with, something that gave him his own headaches.
Her husband, that she was running towards right now and didn't seem to wanna kill him...
"Wow, even they're speaking and not screaming? I need to get up on their side of the bed," Nicholas muttered, powering to his room, away from the laughter, and singing, Radek Zalenka was singing, in Chec, as he danced around watering the plants. If Nicholas didn't know any better it seemed that the entire city, save himself, was infected with some sort of hysterical mania, though rather than cause any real damage was just putting everyone in a good mood.
Everyone but him.
If there was some sort of happy illness going around, catching that rather than the cold he was sure his mom would fuss over would have been nice.
He made it to their door, standing on his tip toes to let the optical scanner scan him, the door sliding open quickly.
"Data," he called out into the dark, not bothering with the light, "why in the world is everyone so darn happy?"
"Good afternoon Nicholas Jackson," the hologram greeted as it sprung to life, "I hope you are well. Unfortunately, I cannot speculate on the emotional state of the city inhabitants."
"I can't either," he grumbled, noting the machine was correct, and it was afternoon, the morning had flown by in a headachy haze. Nicholas wondered if there was anything to eat in their quarters since he really didn't want to go back down to the commissary in the mood he was in, "but everyone's acting weird and all I wanna do is go back to bed."
"If you desire to rest then it is recommended that you visit the infirmary. The infirmary is located on the main level of the city, staffed by doctors Carson Beckett and Jennifer Keller. Would you like me to see which doctor is on duty at the present time?"
"No, thank you Data," Nicholas said as he wandered into the kitchen, pulling back the door to the fridge his mother insisted on installing to make things feel more like a home on Earth. Dad just let it slide; he knew as Nicholas was learning that Adrienne Jackson was a creature of some habits, and having a comfortable home and kitchen was part of that habit. There were some yogurts, that would have to do even though he really wanted something else, what he wasn't sure, Nicholas grabbing one and turning to dig for a spoon when it hit him.
"Hey Data?" he shouted as he pulled back the lid, "can you go through the Earth pop culture database, find anything about a city or a town going all super happy?"
"Super happy?"
"Like, out of character," Nicholas explained stuffing yogurt into his mouth, "maybe people that should hate each other getting along, not doing things like getting divorced, where everyone seemed to be in a good mood for no explicable reason."
"I shall begin my search with Earth television and film, searching for cities in which the inhabitants changed their manner of behavior."
"Yeah," Nicholas agreed as he kept eating, "start there. Maybe that'll give me an idea..."
Taking a seat on his dad's chair, Nicholas watched the hologram flicker as it searched, disregarding his homework.
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It would hurt if she could smile any brighter, but this was amazing, like a dream, a dream that they had needed so badly. Adrienne lay there for a moment, intertwined with his body, her bare body resting gently against the clean grasses.
"What has gotten into you?" she asked, reaching for her tank to pull it over her head, figuring she'd stuff her bra back into her backpack quickly before heading back when he was on her again, pinning her, his pants still at his ankles.
"I've missed your touch," he whispered running his fingers up her shirt, "your lips," and he brushed his along hers carefully, pausing to speak into her mouth, "your warmth..."
"Daniel there is no way..." she giggled, pushing him away, yet still kissing across his face as she did.
"Trust me Ad," he nuzzled her gently, "there is..."
Oh dear lord, there was, Adrienne cocking her head back to let him kiss down her throat because if he was serious, she wasn't gonna say no.
Damn distracting Daniel.
"There you two are," Sam was shouting over the ridge, waving, beaming, Adrienne freezing, panicking, searching for the rest of their clothes, "I wonder what you two have been up to?"
We are naked, well, mostly naked right here, dear god Sam don't look and her husband was pulling away, still on her, so close to her, what in the hell was going on?
"Enjoying the many pleasures of fresh air," and he was kissing at her lips, right in front of Sam, "and each other..." and he was at her neck again, his hand at her bare hip, reaching downward...
"Daniel!" Adrienne exclaimed, sitting up, pulling her shirt back down to her waist, "really?"
"She's not stupid, there was nothing else to explore so we just decided to explore one another for a while," he kept talking, Adrienne blushing, scrambling away, realizing that away would mean that's she'd be seen...
"Ja-wer," he reached out for her, "what's wrong?"
"It's time to go Indy, Sam's here, if she can give us a moment to get ourselves back together we can get going..."
"She can head back," his reply was quick, simple, his pelvis pressing against hers, "I told you I was ready again."
Sam giggled, but she didn't leave, this was so awkward and strange, so very odd.
"Well, I'm not," Adrienne said through gritted teeth, sitting, grabbing her jacket to cover herself, Daniel's hand at her wrist.
"I can take care of that, easily..." his hand moving down her waist, to her bottom, squeezing it right in front of Sam.
"We don't need to head back yet, you two enjoy," she smiled brightly, slipping away, "Vala and I'll be waiting at the gate when you're finished."
That, apparently, was all Daniel needed, his focus back on his wife even before Sam was completely out of sight.
"Daniel, stop," Adrienne pushed him away, her voice stern, his expression changing, Daniel frowning, a gentle hand at her cheek again.
"I'm sorry Ad, I didn't mean to..."
She shook her head, hushing him with a kiss, sitting up more to collect herself. He didn't mean it, he was just in a good mood, a really really good mood.
"Let's go home sha, turn in those results to the staff and go get some dinner, just us. Candles, wine, maybe a good movie," she felt guilty at her suggestion, of course she wanted to make love to him again but she also just wanted to enjoy being with him, but he smiled, standing, reaching to put himself back together.
"Of course Ad, I'm sorry, I don't know what's gotten into me, I just can't get enough of you..."
Giggling, at least he realized that it was a little odd, Adrienne reached up for his face, pecking his lips again.
"I can't ever get enough of you either, but can we take this home?"
The nod in reply was one of caution; clearly he was really concerned about offending her. With a soft smile on her face she reached for his pants, fastening them again gently and pulling him into her arms.
"I'll make home fries," she grinned, taking his hand in her own to lead him to the gate.
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Fish was the smell that hit Adrienne as she followed her husband through the event horizon, fish. She had no idea how in the hell Jack and Carson even had fish, she knew from Nicholas that the waters around the city had nothing that they could easily catch just yet, without some much larger implements anyway, and these fish looked like bass or something her uncle would have brought home.
"Daniel we've got dinner!" the general was declaring, holding up his prize with glee, her husband abandoning her side to approach his friend.
"It's not enough, we're gonna need to put it on ice!" Daniel shouted back as Adrienne began to head for the lab to check on her staff, pausing mid-stride. The array of fish that Jack O'Neill was holding in his hands was more than enough for himself, Sam, Daniel, Adrienne, Nicholas, hell, their entire friend circle; what in the world is her husband talking about?
"Davidson!" he was heading for his assistant now, waving excitedly, Jack looking confused, Carson looking confused, everyone looking for confused, "How are the shifts looking for this evening?"
"Normal sir as expected, no overtime, standard staff."
"Excellent! I'd like the entire commissary cleaned up right after dinner service for a party!"
"A wha?" Adrienne let the words escape her mouth before she could control her accent, thick and strong as she screwed up her face.
"A party," Daniel repeated, that same excitement as his prior statement, looking out to the rest of the gate area as if this were just the most normal thing to be declaring, "I think considering everything that's happened and been happening around here it would be great for morale."
"It's a fantastic idea!" Sam agreed, Sam before Vala who was nodding in agreement just as eager. In fact it seemed that everybody in the entire gate room was thrilled about this idea except for Adrienne who while she could feel the excitement, her mind already imagining dancing with Daniel so close and intimate but a party didn't seem to be the best idea, no matter how bad she wanted it and where in the hell did those fish come from...
"Yes sir!" Davidson answered running back to his console to presumably book the commissary without question.
No, she thought, I need to say something, no matter what fantasies I am having right now.
"Sha, can I vay yay atcha for a sec?" Adrienne whispered, pulling Daniel aside who instead of coming with her threw his arm around her happily wrapping himself around her shoulders.
"Of course ja-wer. Come to my office, we can talk in there I'll get you a coffee or are you hungry do you want anything I'm starving do you know I had said..."
"What are you on?" she stopped dead in her tracks, crossing her arms in from of her chest to glare at him.
"Nothing," he assured, taking his hands into her own, "I told you I just feel great. Teyla's fine, Helena's doing well, I can actually call our daughter something already, we have a name and are going to have a daughter! Things are going well, if Ford shows up here tomorrow we're gonna blow him into outer space. Come on, give me a break. I'm just happy."
Adrienne frowned, letting her arms fall weakly to her sides. Of course she wanted him to be happy, that meant more to her than anything else in the world, but this was just a little too happy.
Stop Addy, you're reading into things...
"I'm sorry," she said finally, reaching out for his hand to finish leading him now to his office, "I mustn't have slept well. You're exactly right, I'm so happy about Helena and as far as the party is concerned, it's probably exactly what we all need."
With a smile, Daniel pulled her along, "I'll make you some coffee and you promised dinner..."
So his mind was still there, good to know.
"Let me check on Nicholas, change and stop by the lab and then we can get something to eat it?"
"Leave our line open?" he asked with a tap at his ear. Leaning forward she pecked his lips, going with it, letting herself be excited about the upcoming festivities.
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Nicholas Jackson poked his small head out into the hallway looking left, looking right, before peering back over his shoulder at the images projected onto the screen.
"Dad always says mom's TV shows are garbage but I don't know anymore..." he muttered, the hologram springing to life once more.
"Nicholas Jackson is there something you wish for me to search again?"
The boy shook his head, sighing out.
"Not unless you can give me some statistics as to whether or not Mom's television shows could ever be reality no I think I'm good," he said as he looked left and right for a second time.
"Would like a statistical analysis of the-"
"No, Data, thank you," the boy grumbled again before shutting the door to their quarters.
"I wanna nap; I'm delusional," he declared to himself, "Maybe Mom'll just let me off the hook for the homework."
Tossing his tablet aside, Nicholas headed straight to his room, not even bothering to shut off Data.
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Daniel and Adrienne had gotten their dinner together, a lovely quiet meal on one of the outer balconies near the commissary that allowed them to talk about her work with the Suban and Daniel filling her in on some things from command that they hadn't had a chance to discuss, talking like they hadn't been able to in a while. They didn't even need to worry about anyone keeping Nicholas occupied since when Adrienne returned to their room she found their son in bed complaining of a headache and a stomach-ache. Adrienne almost cancelled their plans and told Daniel to call off the party, but her son insisted on being left alone that he didn't need Carson to come down and check on him going to bed going to sleep it off. He'd reached a maturity level where babying him would result in a huge blow out, and if he was coming down with something it was best that he rest rather than get into an argument with her.
That must be it, Adrienne thought as she programmed Data to alert her communicator if he were to start running a fever, Nicky must've come down with something and that's the reason we're not excited about how good things of been going lately.
He's getting ill and my mommy instincts are keeping me from enjoying all of this.
Her husband, however, cut their dinner shorter than she would have liked, telling her he needed to prepare for the festivities that evening. To be honest the mood he was in she really preferred escaping back to their bedroom. In a poor attempt to hide her disappointment, a disappointment that she was sure was on her face, Adrienne excused herself to return to their room to check on Nicholas even though she had programmed Data to let her know if anything was wrong.
That and she wanted take time to plan out her outfit for the evening.
If Daniel was going to do this she was going to have to make an appearance as wife of the commander.
She stood at her closet for a good thirty minutes trying to figure out what the wife of the commander would wear to such a gathering. It wasn't that her closet didn't contain an extensive array clothes, it did, things like holey sweaters and stuff that Daniel teased her about, settling on a conservative black cocktail dress for the occasion.
"I'm the first lady of Atlantis," she joked rubbing her tired face, "maybe someday they'll mold wax figures of me in this same damn stupid dress."
Zipping it up, Adrienne Jackson grumbled while doing her make-up, one of her least favorite tasks, slipping on shoes before peeking back at the mirror.
"Good enough," she said, her heels clicking as she marched down the small hallway of their quarters, her son propped up in bed watching something on his tablet.
"I thought ya was gonna sleep beb?"
The boy peered up, shrugging.
"I dunno, I'm not sure what's wrong with me, I just feel, well, BLEH."
"Bleh? That's a fantastically scientific diagnosis," she joked, leaning to kiss his head.
"I'm so bleh I can't come up with a better word," he said with a giggle, his dark eyes finally gazing up to her own, "you look nice Mom. Why?"
"If I didn't love ya so much," she growled at his sarcastic tone, "Your father is throwing a party."
"Oh that's cool...wait, what?"
"That was my response," Adrienne said as she stood, smoothing her dress, "he's happy, and we got a gate..."
"You did?"
"Yeah, he's so excited about the Suban and what we can learn from this that he's gonna explode and your sister, Nicholas you were one miracle, she makes two..."
"I guess so," the boy agreed, setting down the computer, "should I get up?"
"Not unless you're feeling well beb."
Nicholas looked around, debating she could tell, before he finally shrugged.
"Nah, I was watching something, and I'm not in the mood. I'm gonna hang around here, replicate some pizza and go to bed."
"Are you sure?" she asked, her left toe at her right heel ready to kick off the shoes if she needed to but he was already pushing her away.
"Go Mom, have fun, I'm fine really."
Adrienne frowned.
"Stop trying to use me to get out of Dad's craziness."
"Smart tchew," she swore, kissing their son good night before she headed out for the party.
"A party..." Nicholas was whispered, full attention and focus back on the screen, "if Dad's throwing a party something's got to be going on..."
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"I think I'm overdressed..."
One would think for as long as Daniel and Adrienne had been together that she would've anticipated her husband's definition of a party, and normally she would have, but there was no way she could have anticipated this.
The lights were all gone, not shut out but gone, save for a few colored bulbs that Adrienne was sure were supposed to be used for the gardens and not for parties. There was flashing and blinking, like lightening throughout the dining area, their own northern lights just indoors. The music was so loud that it vibrated through the walls, small quaked erupting under her heeled feet. She had no idea where it was coming from, but by the sound alone it seem to be hooked into the main system and Adrienne recognized the song as something she ran to or worked out to, one of her upbeat tunes that were not always in English and filled with the sounds of electronic instruments.
There weren't any food tables per se but people were walking around with things to eat, looking more like the staff of Atlantis was just raiding the pantries, refrigerators, anywhere where items might have been stored. Beer was everywhere, literally, in the hands of personnel, sitting on the tables that had been shoved to the sides, on the floor, in fact the entire commissary stunk like fraternity house.
"Ad!"
She heard Daniel shouting for her, pushing his way through the throngs of dancing people, her first look at him confirming that she was indeed overdressed. It made her heart skip a beat at the sight of him, he must have changed in his office, wearing just jeans and a t-shirt but he was slightly sweaty from dancing and the way it clung to his body...
"Dammit Addy, getcha self tahgether..."
"Is Nicholas alright?" and he was at her side, taking her into his arms and he smelled like cologne, not something he did too often but it was her favorite scent and it was driving her wild.
"Yeah, he might be coming down with something, so he's relaxing and I have Data monitoring his temp..."
"Good," Daniel barely let her finish before pulling her to him, pressing his body against hers, he smelled so good, felt so good, why was she dying inside right here in public, "I wanna dance."
"You can't dance," she teased but he was moving against her in a way that she would never expect him to be with her in public.
"Teach me..." he whispered in her ear, leaning in to peck her neck, his hand running down her lower back and to her bottom.
"Daniel..."
"I love that dress," his soft lips were back at her ear, nuzzling, running his skin against hers.
She wanted to melt away, melt into him, hit the floor in embarrassment, drag him back to their quarters and pleasure him like he had never felt before. The exit seemed so distant, concerns about Nicholas even more distant as he pulled her to the dance floor, his hands all over her, his lips at her neck, his hips moving in a manner that was barely dancing but more like something they would do together in the bedroom, alone. They weren't alone, nearly every couple in the city appeared to be doing the same, Ronon disregarding his duties as he pulled Vala's thigh to his waist, Sam sitting in Jack's lap at a nearby table, even Carson Beckett seemed to be enjoying himself, his hand wrapping around one of his nurses, Riley Adrienne thought her name was, she remembered thinking it was a very fun and unique name, his lips pressed to hers. Teyla was in the corner, dancing, her belly bouncing, and she was twirling, enraptured and the Cajun thought she saw Elias Bosse and Jennifer Keller racing from the commissary hand in hand. Adrienne tried to focus, this wasn't right, something wasn't right, not just who was pairing with whom but why Daniel was so aggressive right now, why he reeked of alcohol, not beer but alcohol that she thought was only in their quarters, why he was playing the music that he hated, why the entire commissary seemed to be a thronged frenzy of sex pulsating in the center of the city. There was a firm grip at her butt, Daniel lifting her slightly, moving her, to where she didn't know, but to be honest, she didn't care...
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Usually Nicholas turned off programs when adults did adult things, he knew what was going on, he wasn't stupid, but the thought of his parents in that kind of situation, and he knew that they got in that kind of situation more often than he wanted to think about, was disgusting and he didn't need to see it. This time, though, he powered through this awful vampire soap opera of his mother's to see what was going to happen next.
He could now see why his dad hated this show.
As far as the party was concerned, he'd heard the music, not long after his mom had left, an electricity vibrating though the city that part of him wanted to join, but a larger part of him was just made nauseous. He had been kidding when he asked Data to pull up a movie, he was really researching something to tease his parents about and nothing more, but as the day progressed he watched his home turn into its own version of the city of Bon Temp in that stupid program.
After he had watched a few stored videos on extreme euphoria and managed to dig up a few articles that his mother had written as a grad student, Nicholas had set out to look for his Uncle Jack, the go to person for anything crazy. It had taken longer than he'd thought, Jack was no longer fishing on his balcony but with the lead Atlantis doctor playing video games. Jack playing video games was fine, that made sense, the man was retired and Nicholas didn't need to be watched like a normal toddler but Dr. Beckett? There were patients to tend to, people who caught various illnesses from the strange new world, work injuries, general care but Nicholas blew it off, convincing himself that Dr. Keller must have had everything under control.
That was until he decided to go ask his next trusted adult, Dr. Elias Bosse who he found much easier than he had found Jack, hidden in the corner of his lab kissing Jennifer Keller passionately.
It was at the moment that Nicholas knew something was terribly wrong, some people chose to be publicly affectionate, well, mostly his mom and dad but not Dr. Bosse and if he and Dr. Keller were together it would be something neither of them would discuss, especially with Dr. McKay as his boss. Normally he would have gone right to his mom and dad, told them he thought something was going on, they listened to him like he was an adult, but at the time they were off world with his Aunt Sam and Aunt Vala.
That left him the kids.
They were his friends even if they were not as intellectually advanced as he was, but if something was going like this, some sickness, some infection, something, he knew that it was best to get an adult. Now, however, that didn't seem to be an option, so he went straight to the Dex family quarters, Saurza and Torren tearing the kitchen apart.
"Nicky!" he'd started to give up on Nicholas, only his dad seemed to respect that request, the boy waving as she greeted him, "We're baking a cake!"
"Now?" he asked even though that was evident, Torren pulling out an array of bowls.
"Yep! I picked a bunch of Dr. Zalenka's fruit and there's this book of directions that your mom gave my mom and it had a cake with fruit in it and we're gonna make it!"
Yeah, everyone had gone nuts.
"Saurza are you supposed to use the oven?"
The girl frowned.
"Who do you think did the cookin' on the freighter?"
She had a point, she'd been on her own for a while and probably knew more about a kitchen then her adoptive mother did. There was a part of him that thought maybe he should try to stop them but he knew it wouldn't work, instead programming Data as soon as he returned to his room to deactivate all of the stoves that they would have access too.
It was just easier that way.
Now, though, he was worried. His mom seemed normal enough when she came in to get dressed but for her not to check on him at all was troubling, hell, the fact that she went to the dance with him 'not feeling well' was shocking as it was. Like everything else today he had blown it off, maybe she was trying to let him be more grown, it was hard, he was still a child and felt like a child in so many ways and was so adult in others but that was hours ago. Since the music was louder, the power even flickering a few times and according to Data's report the entire commissary was trashed, food, alcohol and other things that he described that Nicholas didn't want to see, the young Jackson child tossed the covers aside, setting his tablet on his night stand.
He didn't have a choice. Standing from the bed his dark half-Cajun eyes glided across the screen of his tablet at the frozen image, a stupid cable television representation of what he'd been reading about for hours, what shouldn't be real but was.
He shouldn't be real, but was, so in his very young opinion it was better to be safe than sorry.
Sighing, Nicholas Jackson just hoped his parents would forgive him.
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There were moans and screams all around her but she didn't care. A tiny part of her brain knew this was wrong, that this was all wrong, Daniel sitting across from her at the small table, their friends cheering wildly.
"Drink, drink, drink, drink!"
"You wanna give up ja-wer?"
He'd had more than she remembered, she wasn't sure who was counting anymore or what she was drinking but she wasn't gonna give up because if she lost...
Swallowing strongly, Adrienne reached forward to take the shot glass, bringing it to her lips and tilting back her neck, opening her mouth.
She couldn't.
She was done.
"HE BEAT HER! DANIEL BEAT DOCTOR PERKY!"
Her head throbbed and her back was slapped, people congratulating her on the effort, she didn't know what was happening when she was being pulled to her feet. Her senses were dull, her vision blurry and he was there suddenly, reeking of alcohol that while it was disgusting at the same time still smelled so sweet and so alluring and she wanted him, badly...
"You lost..."
"I know," Adrienne grumbled, because she was perfectly aware of what that meant. Laughing, she should be embarrassed, but it was funny, Adrienne reached into her skirt, searching for her underwear when she was pulled upright, her husband pressing her against the wall.
"Let me..."
"You have to wear them around your neck," she giggled as she felt him reach into her skirt, right here in front of everyone, it was thrilling, she knew everyone was watching, her and him, Daniel, they were watching Daniel, her Daniel, her perfect match, everyone wanted Daniel she could see it in their eyes, but he was hers and no one else's and if he wanted she was going to let him take her right here, right in front of everyone. He was ready, she could feel him pressing against her as he pulled the black cotton fabric from her hips, kissing down her neck. Giggling, maybe she would just ask him to take her here, Adrienne stepped out of the legs of her panties, Daniel gathering his prize greedily, pushing her against the wall again to kiss her feverishly.
"Here..." he choked out, her heart racing, her body preparing to fulfill his request.
She began to make quick work of his fly.
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He didn't know how he'd manage to find them between the pack of people and the sickening smell but then he heard his Uncle Jack yell something about Dr. Perky, what he called his mom, Nicholas pushing through the throng in the direction of the sound.
And there were his parents, sitting at a table, drinking, drunk, both of them, completely out of their minds. It was his mom's turn, the glass coming to her lips but she just couldn't drink.
This was his chance, he took a step forward before he was knocked back, falling to his butt into something wet and disgusting. He stood, too grossed out to wipe himself off, scanning nervously for his parents again when he saw them, his dad pressing his mom against the wall, reaching up her dress.
"Oh dear god no," he said to no one but himself, drawing the weapon and zipping in-between legs. Reaching them just as his dad was upright, kissing his mom's neck, Nicholas took a deep breath, preparing to yell if needed.
"Mom? Dad?"
They didn't stop, his mother, oh dear god don't look, just shout louder.
"MOM! DAD!"
They paused, looking right at him but not pulling away in embarrassment like they would do when he'd walk into their room by accident when they were kissing like this, they just peered at him, as if they were annoyed that he was here.
"Dad, if this doesn't work, I'll promise I'll take your side whenever you say that Mom watches too much TV."
Without hesitating a moment longer Nicholas extended his arm and promptly zatted both of his parents watching them crumble together into a heap on the ground.
"Dr. Jackson!"
"Daniel!"
"Addy!"
"Someone cut the music!"
"What are we doing here?"
"What's going on?"
"Get your hands off of me!"
"Nicky!" and Jack was at his side, grabbing his shoulders, "give me that gun right now! What are you doing down here?"
"Uncle Jack, do you want a beer?" the boy asked, pulling the zat out of O'Neill's reach.
"What?"
"Do you wanna kiss Aunt Sam, like, right now?"
"Nicholas what are you talking about? Give me that gun!" and he reached for it, the boy taking a step back.
"What about video games, fish? Anything?"
"Of course, I want a beer, a fishing line and always love from your aunt but I'm not discussing that with you here or now. Now give me that gun right now young man before I have to have Ronon come deal with you!"
Breathing out a sigh of relief, Nicholas passed Jack the zat, walking right by him to where Carson Beckett was looking away in shame from a young woman that Nicholas had seen in the infirmary, a nurse he thought.
"Dr. Beckett, my dad needs to be kept unconscious for a while, until I can talk to my mom."
The doctor started at him in bewilderment.
"And I have a really bad headache and need something strong."
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"I'm having flashbacks," Adrienne giggled as Daniel rubbed his eyes sitting up in the bed.
"What happened?"
"You actually became a legit Grecian god it seems, just not Hercules," she replied, passing a glass of water to her husband.
Eyebrows were raised at her.
"Long story short, it looks like the same merde that's got ya and me healin' got a little contagious because we were having a good week," Adrienne explained, crawling into the bed with him to wipe the sweat from his brow.
"Slow down Ad, my head hurts," he moaned, rubbing his temples, Adrienne shooing his hands away to complete the task.
"For a reason that Carson can't explain just yet, but he and Jennifer are gonna be poking and prodding ya more than normal, your dopamine levels actually got to the point where you were radiating love, happiness, pleasure..."
"So that wasn't a dream, the field, the underwear?"
"Not a dream, we've had a pretty active couple of days," her face flushed, her cheeks warming.
It was Daniel's turn to flush, they were affectionate, sure, but an outward display of sex was never something that either of them felt was appropriate.
"Wait," he said, looking up, the color subsiding, "did Nicholas shoot us?"
"Yeah, he figured it out. Seems that, according to what he found, we got caught up in what the Greeks called a Dionysian Mystery, casting off anything repressive and living in the moment. He went back through and figured out that it started with you, pretty much the moment we found out about Helena and spread based on everyone you had contact with."
"But how?" he asked, reaching to hold her in his arms, wanting that touch like he always did when he wanted reassurance, something she had learned about him a long time ago, "Why? There's nothing different in the food, the Suban have been tested and tested and why weren't you affected or Nicholas?"
"I was eventually, after giving in to your," she paused, "charm a few times, but I think it's because I'm Cajun, because we're Cajun," she said crawling into his lap, Daniel resting his head on her back.
"Ad, Cajun can't be your excuse for everything..."
"Can't it?" she said as she took his hand, "Daniel, we're the protected peoples, what if we aren't subject to the mania? That's what Nicholas, Carson and I are thinking, and what if since Teyla is NOT Cajun, Helena knows she needs to grow fast and come sooner."
Daniel grumbled from her back, Adrienne squeezing his palm.
"Sha, Jack's told me that Thor wasn't really the life of the party," she joked, feeling him lifting his head and pushing her away slightly.
"Aren't the followers of Dionysus known for running around and ripping apart animals, and sometimes men and even children?"
"They did, after the sex, drugs and rock n' roll, we were just getting started on those three," she answered, blushing again, Daniel glancing away for a moment, embarrassed, the memories appearing to come back to him as they had to her.
"How did he figure it out?" he asked, his eyes still not on hers. Smiling, she kissed his forehead to ease the thoughts that she knew were going through his head.
"Watching True Blood," she giggled, Daniel's face shooting back up.
"He's not allowed to watch that!"
"Sha, we were a little too into one another to parent. He was searching around, trying to research what was going on and found the Maenad episodes, only what was going on here was faster and more wide-spread."
"So he shot us?" Daniel now asked, Adrienne nodding.
"Remember the ripping apart? That was the sacrifice part and they did that in the show but they also stopped the insanity before it got too bad, by killing the Maenad, not exactly what he wanted to do to his father."
"That kid's a genius."
"Yep, even made sure that Carson kept you unconscious for a day, just to clean everyone's system."
"Where is he?"
"Sleeping, he's had a rough few days, a cold on top of all of it," Adrienne answered, her husband lying back in their bed, his arms extended in her direction.
"Good plan," Daniel whispered as Adrienne crawled into his arms, "let's join him."
"Are you tired? I can call Carson?" she picked her head up concerned, Daniel shaking his.
"Nope, just wanna lay here, with you, for just a while longer."
Their son sleeping safely in his bed, all right in the city, Adrienne wasn't about to object.
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"We must return to the ship!" Halling ordered reluctantly, his people finally looking like his people, the younger ones playing in the tall grasses. They listened however, gathering the discarded clothing that they had tossed aside to board the soon to be again over-crowded jumper. He strode forward, counting, breathing in the fresh air one last time when he staggered, something catching his foot.
"Are you alright?" a voice called out, two women headed toward him to help but he shook his hand.
"I am fine," he answered verbally to match his gesture, leaning low to the ground to see what had caused his tumble. It was reddish in color and looked handmade, like it might have been a plate at some point in the planet's history.
Compelled for a reason he couldn't explain, Halling stuffed the object into his robes, following the last of his people on board.