Chapter Twenty-Five: Isolation

Jack walked along the road back to the house with Claire and Janet walking in front of him and chattering away. "Papa when can we go home for reals?" Janet asked as she looked up at him as they were skipping forward together.

"Soon I hope punkin," he responded, patting her on the head gently.

They had been in the castle for about a week now and Jack was sick of it. Akina was quiet and subdued but still holding on. William had boxed up Zakias several days before and Zada was bedridden, unable to find the energy to do anything but curl around Daniel or Jack and sleep.

Jack and the girls were going back to their place where Adrian was staying with Dani to keep people out of their home, sometimes Vannas didn't have any boundaries. He was carting some clothes back to the house where Adrian was helping them with some cleaning and to grab some new clothes and a book that Daniel wanted, where he as keeping his Vannas/Magis notes, and Jack couldn't understand how his beautifully harebrained husband could have forgotten such a thing.

Daniel, whether he was in bed with Zada rubbing her back or sitting at the desk in their temporary quarters, he had several of the Magis books, trying to find something to help Akina, William and their daughter. Luckily for now it seemed as though Erica and Zale had been safe from the illness and Erica had a theory that it was because their Awakened Magis had already been boxed up and remained there. Without the Awakened Magis, there had been nothing for the contagion to latch hold of, though Jack didn't know if he understood enough of it to even hazard an opinion or a guess.

He just had hope, and faith in his team. Daniel was looking at things from his perspective as an archeologist and Sam was coming at this through some of her newer devices and sciences. She worked closely with her team of Vannas as always, those able to fathom her instructions as well as able to use technology created by their division.

Sam was basically living in the castle as well though Teal'c and their children were doing their best to come see her as often as possible. She was focused on finding a way to help Zada and the others.

They arrived in the house and Jack sent the girls to their rooms so they could get some clothes and Jack dumped the load of dirty clothes in the living room. Adrian would take care of it so Daniel walked into Daniel's office and found the book for his husband before he joined the girls upstairs to get the rest of what they needed and had just enough time to avert the girls from throwing their whole wardrobe into a bag.

"No, only a few things."

The chorus of 'awwws' was pretty adorable and so like Daniel's puppy-dog eyes that usually got him whatever he wanted but the girls had been trying that trick for a few years so he had a strong immunity built up against it.

They complied after some more protest but it was done after a few long moments. Jack packed it all up and walked them back downstairs and found Adrian and his daughter in the front room. He perked up at the sight of them, the girls raced over to hug their godfather and he walked across the room to grip Jack's shoulder and pulled him into a tight hug, "How is she?"

"Akina is about the same," Jack answered, sure that Adrian was asking after his sister but Jack's young friend just shook his head.

"No, how is Zada doing?"

Jack smiled, "She sleeps much of the day with Daniel and I playing body pillow for her."

"They are still looking for the answers?" Adrian asked with a grimace.

Jack nodded, "Are you staying here tonight?" he asked.

"Yeah, you have fought for your place here and I wouldn't want some upstart thinking they have a right to your home because your little girl is sick."

"Thanks again Adrian," Jack said and walked back to pick up the reloaded bag and gathered the girls with him and they started on their trek back to the castle which seemed to take so much less time.

They entered through the grand front doors and straight to the stairs and down the hall to the room they first called their own when they moved to the island. Now it was their isolation room: Jack, Daniel, Zale and Zada were in one of the big bedrooms while Johnny, Claire and Janet were in the other for sleeping. He dropped the new clothes on the couch where everyone got dressed together in the morning most days and headed for the bedroom as Zale walked out to greet the girls and take them away to play in the other room. Jack grabbed Daniel's book and headed for his bedroom, slipping in through the crack in the door and caught sight of Daniel wrapped more fully around Zada, his arms tucked around her and his legs spooned behind hers. He was sound asleep so Jack slipped the big book away from his husband and set that one as well as the smaller one he held in his hands both on Daniel's work desk before he leaned down and kissed Zada gently on the forehead then kissed Daniel on his head as well.

Daniel stirred, not really the deep sleeper that came before babies. Since Zada got sick, Daniel's eyes had gained a slightly glazed look that spoke of his fear the dark circles under his eyes spoke of the determination he held still to get his daughter healthy and safe.

"Hey," Daniel whispered, not moving to far from Zada but leaned forward to give Jack a short open-mouthed kiss that Jack wished spoke of more to come. They didn't have the time or the energy lately but it didn't stop Jack from wishing that it was possible right now. Daniel was still the hottest thing Jack had ever seen.

"How are you? Its nice to see you sleeping a little?"

Daniel nodded but then his eyes widened in an almost laughable expression except that it meant he was going to go on for a couple more hours without another wink of sleep. Daniel moved quickly out of the bed and paused long enough to kiss Zada on the cheek before he moved back to the desk and started pulling open books and started taking notes. Jack shrugged and slipped into Daniel's vacated spot and huddle close to Zada as she turned into his arms and curled closer to him. Jack spent the next couple of hours listening to her jagged breathing, worrying that they might not find what they need before she took a turn for the worse. She had been with her Magis shorter than Akina and William so she seemed to be better off but as far as Erica could tell the illness was trying to shift to the Vannas body.

That would not bring anything good to Zada or any of the other Vannas on the island, if it jumped to the host and became viral, they were all going to get sick in short order.