Chapter 14
By the end of the first week, they're resorting to drastic measures to keep Adria happy. Cam actually shows up with a play house to assemble in the rapidly crowding room.
"You realize she's going to continue to expect you to bring home a small toy shop every day now?" Vala says, stretched out in the recliner that Daniel and Teal'c had provided. She has a book resting on her stomach but she hasn't read any since Cam got back.
"Well, she'll have more of an adjustment than that," Cam mutters. "How's Operation Don't Hurt the Baby coming along?"
"Oh, she's excited about it, but..." Vala grins at him. "She is quite like her mother in some respects."
"Meaning, she wants all the attention."
As if to demonstrate their point, Adria comes over to supervise. She still has the bandage over her head, cleaned multiple times daily, usually when they take her for testing of the device. So far, everything has met their standards and the second surgery is right on schedule. "Daddy, do it faster. I wanna play birthday."
"Play birthday? What's that?" Cam asks, starting to put together the thick, colorful pieces of plastic that slot in place.
"It's where I play like it's my birthday! And I get to have cake. You have to go get me cake, Daddy." She informs him. "And get Mommy cake, too. And some for baby brudder."
"What about me?" Cam asks. "Do I get to have cake?"
"After my house is ready. But we have to play party and you have to sing me happy birthday."
Adria has a stern expression on her face when he glances back from putting the roof on the house. "Isn't it supposed to be your birthday when we sing for you?"
"No, daddy. We are pretendin'. Plus soon it will be my baby brudder's birthday." She walks over and inspects the progress on her new toy. "You did good making this house."
"Thanks, princess." he ruffles her hair before going back to adding the stickers that mark the windows. "You excited for your brother?"
"Still rather have a sister..." Her lips pucker thinking about boys and their germs. "But a brudder might be okay." Adria plops down in Cam's lap and watches the progress on the house. "Will my brudder know about the Ori too, daddy?"
Vala's gasp can be heard across the room. Cam tries not to stiffen but the instant look of fear on Adria's face tells him he wasn't able to hide it. "I don't know honey. Probably not."
"Is it cause you're not my daddy but your that baby's daddy?" Adria looks close to tears after saying that.
A sick feeling washes over his body and he looks over at his wife. Pure guilt. That's all that's evident in her expression. The only reason Adria would have an inkling about that is because of her. "I'm your dad, baby girl."
"Mommy said you weren't. I was hers and not yours." She looks over at her mother, questions reflected in her gaze. "Right mommy?"
Cam kneels down in front of Adria. "Look at me, sweetheart."
She lifts her face up toward his, her big blue eyes filling with tears already. She sniffles and it breaks his heart.
"I am your daddy." He says it firmly, waits to know she's really heard him, and then says it again. "I'm your daddy just as much as I'm your brother's."
"Mommy said-"
"Mommy was wrong. I'm your daddy."
When she's older, he'll explain to her what's different, but right now even with Thor's insight into her intelligence, Cam knows her enough to know that she wouldn't grasp the biological aspects of it. He won't hide it from her, but he'll wait until she's ready.
She pushes away from Cam, and as much as he wants to pull her back to him, he lets her go. Her gaze goes toward at Vala, needing her mother's assurance before she truly trusts what Cam is telling her.
Vala's crying, and it takes her a minute to find the words. "Sometimes when Mommy is angry she says things that she doesn't really mean."
Adria looks torn. "I want you to be my daddy."
The tears finally start to fall and she runs back to Cam, clinging to him. "I love you, baby. You're my little girl."
He holds her until the tears dry.
"Is my house done now?" Adria mumbles into his shoulder before slipping away to turn around and look. Her feelings no longer hurting now she's concerned with her toy. "It looks like it's big enough for a mommy, daddy, brudder and big sisser."
"You know it is, munchkin." He's always glad that she moves on from things quickly. She's fairly emotionally stable for everything that's gone on in her life. He gives the credit to Vala. She's been a rock for their daughter since she was born. He's gone so much that he does what he can but it's never enough for his liking. This has been the first real stumble across her origins that they've had. "There is a bunch of furniture in this box to decorate with. Why don't you do that."
"I will make it look like our house, daddy." Cam nods and kisses the crown of her head before standing up and going to sit next to Vala. His wife is still crying and it's her turn for his comfort. His arm goes around her shoulder and he pulls her closely into him.
"I... I don't even-"
"Shhh. I know, baby, I know." He's forgiven her for her misstep long ago but having Adria bring it up now makes the old hurt throb in his chest. They hadn't known that Adria had really understood at the time what Vala had said. But she's much smarter then they have given her credit for. She's still a child and will miss things but that was something that must have been festering inside her for a long time. "I'm glad she finally asked."
"Cam..." She isn't sure what to say.
He kisses the side of her cheek, his nose nuzzles along her hair line and his lips find her ear. "You don't need to say anything." His hand slides around her swollen belly and the little boy inside her kicks. "Soon we'll be four. Two children that are yours and mine. Did you ever imagine this?" His lips brushing along the shell of her ear makes her breath a little heavier. "I never, ever imagined this. But I think it's because my imagination was lacking in the amount of happiness I could attain. You make me so very happy."
"Luckily I had enough imagination for both of us," Vala says, leaning back against him. "I love you."
"I love you, too," Cam says.
Adria pops her head out of the house. "Daddy, come help me. Mommy's too fat. She can't fit."
Vala laughs. "Oh, such a charmer."
Cam, proving his continuing wisdom regarding when to stay silent, says nothing.
xxxxx
Vala decides to leave them to some daddy-daughter bonding.
"Cake!" Adria reminds her, suddenly remembering her game of pretend.
"I'm going to visit Uncle Daniel, and then I'll go get cake."
"But don't forget, Mommy," Adria says. "It's important."
It takes a couple hours for Adria to get her house situated just the way she wants it. Cam enjoys the time just playing with her, especially after the whole father issue. He dutifully rearranges things to her exact specifications, and then colors birthday party decorations with her. He draws balloons and uses her child scissors to cut the paper into the right shapes, taping them onto the outside walls of her house. It delights her, and then she tells him different things to draw and color and then tape up.
By the time Vala waddles back in, there are drawings all over the walls, both Cam's and Adria's. There is a variety of animals, a family portrait (including 'little brudder'), a freakishly accurate drawing of Thor done by Adria, and one of the dog that she insists they need to get as a pet. She's already told them that his name will be Roger. Vala's just lucky it's the dog she's naming and not the baby.
When Vala returns with the cake a little cheer echoes through the room. "Oh! Chocolate! Good choice, mommy."
"Your mother does have impeccable taste, darling." She sits on the bed and Cam and Adria scoot by her legs and each of them grab a fork. "They only had one piece left though."
"One left after you ate one on the way?" Cam sees her wink at him and grins.
Adria looks up with suspicion. "Did you eat my piece mommy?"
"Of course not, love. I ate your fathers." This makes Cameron chuckle and appeases Adria at the same time. "Always his."
xxxxxx
The time for the second surgery comes and goes. It gets pushed back after the second device needs more tweaking. Vala's standing with Sam and Thor when the first twinge hits her.
"Are you alright, Vala Mal Doran?" His voice is so smooth and gentle for a being of such intelligence. There is no arrogance with Thor.
"Just some indigestion." He looks a little unconvinced. "I'm sure. Babies feet on your stomach doesn't help squash the food like I thought it would."
However the pain is lower then her stomach. It's familiar and she knows that her labor is beginning. "It's still three weeks away..." She mumbles under her breath and both Sam and Thor give her a glance.
"We're almost ready with all the fixes on it." Carter holds up the the crystal chip. "It's pretty, too bad it's on the inside."
Vala nods and admires it with them. Cam is back with Adria getting her ready to go into surgery again in the next few days. Another ripple of pain shoots through her and she hopes that they don't notice her grinding her teeth against the ache. Her first labor lasted hours so she's sure this one will be similar. No need to alert anyone. They're all busy with Adria and her daughter is much more important.
Sam and Thor are being a little cagey about what exactly they think they have to continuously tweak. Cam's all for doing what needs to be done to make sure it's safe, but he feels like there's lead in his stomach now every time he even thinks about it.
Adria's full of questions about the baby now, and that's beginning to make Cam uneasy. He can't help but think of the baby - innocent, newborn, helpless.
He loves his daughter and he'd do anything to keep her out of harm.
But he feels the same way about his son.
He hasn't talked to Vala about it yet, isn't even sure how to bring it up. It's not like they'd have to put up barriers in their own home. By now, they're all aware that the baby will come before Adria's recovered and spent her post-surgery isolation time on base. It'll just be a matter of not bringing the baby in to see Adria. She might be a little confused, sure, but she's still easy to distract. A new toy, a new baby doll, and she should be fine.
But he still doesn't think Vala will see it that way.
"Daddy!" Adria demands his attention once she realizes that it's wandered off. "You're da pony that's supposed to attack! Go pew pew pew!"
"Right," Cam says, rocking his pony back and forth against the ground to make like it's running as he moves it toward her.
Apparently Adria's ponies have laser eyes and an unlimited artillery.
She move hers all around and then squeals triumphantly. "You didn't killed me, Daddy! I got away!"
"Of course not," Cam says. He knows she's just playing but he still reacts. "Because I'd never hurt you."
Adria makes a face at him. "We just playin', Daddy."
"Well, still," Cam says. "Come give me a hug?"
She sighs and dutifully walks over to him, hugging him tightly. "Better now?"
"Uh huh." Cam puckers his lips and she grins and gives him a smoochy kiss back. "Just perfect now. Just what I needed."
"I makes it better," she says. "I gonna be a doctor like Aunt Carolyn."
"I bet she'll be happy to hear that," Cam says.
"Also gonna be a plane flyer like you, Daddy."
"Doctor pilot Adria, hmm?"
"Yuh huh!" She runs to her toy box and pulls out a plastic plane, running it all over the room making VROOM sounds. "I fly better than you?"
"Oh yeah, that's some real technique with those sharp turns there," Cam laughs. "Just about defying gravity."
xxxxx
"It's working. Finally." Sam smiles up at Vala who's got a pinched look about her face. She's been standing with them a long time. "Vala, maybe you should go lie down..."
She just shakes her head, determined to see the last bits of testing. They are going to prep Adria for the surgery as soon as the device passes the last bit of the process. Her labor isn't progressing that quickly, yet, and although her feet are in pain it's worth it. Adria is worth it all.
"I'm fine." It's simple and stern and Sam wisely drops it. "Are we ready to test it then?"
Thor picks up the crystal and fastens it to the prototype. Everyone steps into the observation room while he begins the process.
xxxxxx
The ringing phone makes Cam jump as Adria is circling him with her aircraft.
"Bet that's mommy." She carefully lands her plane back in the toy box and then zips around the room to hastily put all her things away. "Might be time for little brudder. Gotta clean up for him."
Cam's touched that she'd do that. He is able to stand and reach the phone after the forth ring. "Mitchell."
"Took you long enough." Her voice is amused but strained. He can hear something isn't right.
"Hey, hey, I'm getting old I was on the floor playing laser horses and airplanes. Give your ancient husband a break." He hears her soft giggle and it makes him feel more at ease. "What's up, baby?"
"It's ready." The sigh of relief is shared. He wishes she was here with him so he could hold her in his arms. "Get her dressed in her gown and head on in to the med bay."
"She said it was you calling."
"She did?" Vala's amused. "Of course who else would be calling?"
"She started frantically cleaning in here and said that it was time for baby brother." Cam's watching her race around still straightening her crayons and books.
He's chuckling at Adria loudly enough that he doesn't hear Vala's intake of breath. "She's quite excited. But not yet, no baby yet..." It's not precisely a lie. But there are more important issues at stake right now. Adria's surgery is top priority.
"Okay, kiddo, we have to take a little trip," Cam says.
"Outside?" Adria gets so excited that it breaks Cam's heart knowing that it'll still be a few more weeks until she can see the light of day. "Can I go to the playground, Daddy?"
"Not right now, princess." Cam picks her up and kisses her forehead. "We need to go visit Aunt Carolyn right now."
"Oh." Adria sighs. "No baby brudder, either?"
"Not yet."
"Daddy, I'd rather stay and play some more." Adria sighs, a very adult sound. "I tired of Aunt Carolyn poking at me."
Cam laughs. "Well, don't tell her that, you'd break her heart."
"She could fix it, she's a doctor, Daddy. She fixes brokded things."
"Uh huh, that's right."
"Am I brokded, Daddy? Is that why she fixes me?"
"No, sweetheart. You're just perfect. You're so perfect that the bad people want to take you away." He's never been quite so candid about what's happening, but she's also never shown quite that insight. He doesn't want her confused, or thinking she's flawed. "Aunt Carolyn is just making it so that no one takes you anywhere away from us."
Adria clings to him tightly. "I want to stay with Mommy and Daddy."
"And you will." Cam hugs back.
Vala greets them just inside the infirmary. "They're prepping the surgical room."
She walks over to them. Cam notices that her breathing is a little labored and she looks pale and tired but she's close to her due date and under a lot of stress. He doesn't call attention to it because the last thing he wants is to set off a crying jag over her physical insecurities being the size she is.
"Mommy, I'm going to stay with you and Daddy," Adria informs Vala.
Vala takes it in stride. "Of course you are. We'd be very sad if you didn't, and who would teach your baby brother all the things his big sister needs to teach him?"
Carolyn walks in, dressed in her surgical scrubs. Cam and Vala both will be happy if they never have to see her like that again after this week. "We're ready for her."
"Can you.." Vala motions to Cam to lift Adria up so she can talk to her. Bending over is impossible now. She strokes her cheek and kisses her forehead. "Everything is going to be good." She looks away as a sharp pain hits her belly. "I'll see you when you wake up again. Okay baby girl?"
"Love you mommy." Adria leans over and hugs Vala around the neck and gives her a smacking kiss on the lips. "Don't worry. I'll be brave. Daddy says I'm the bravest in the whole world."
"You're daddy is right. About that at least. " She smirks at Cam and he just rolls his eyes at her. "Now go with Carolyn and we'll see you in a little while."
Cam squeezes Adria tightly and kisses her before sending her off with the doctor. She's been through this before but it's always hard to let her go again. As the door shuts behind her he pulls Vala into his arms. The strain on her is clearly visible and he wishes he could take all the stress in her life away.
"You should lie down." His hand slides along her arm and he directs her towards the room. "Are you feeling alright, honey? You look pale."
She contemplates telling him that she's in the early stages of labor but he's already so worried about Adria she doesn't want to add to his load. "I'm good. Just a little tired. I'm sure I'll be fine in a few hours." Or more than a few after this child comes into the world and the other is out of surgery, her head supplies.
"Do you want me to rub your back?" He starts on the knots that are constantly present in her lower back as they walk into their room and towards her bed. He pulls her clothes off and tugs the covers down. She slides in and he gets in behind her still rubbing. When he hears a large sigh leave her lips he lets his hand slip around and lightly slides his palm around her taut stomach. He can feel her breathing change as she falls asleep. That's when he feels the muscle twitch under his hand. It's not much but it's different then when the baby kicks. There is a hitch in breathing and short gasp.
Her eyes shoot open and look back at him.
"Why?" Didn't you tell me. He wants to say that whole sentence but he's hurting. He can't believe she didn't mention the fact that she was in labor.