Chapter 35Lifeboat
The team moved through the crashed alien ship cautiously. Rebecca listened to her husband and Carter talk about the ship. She glanced at her father when he once again managed to boil a concept down to its simplest factor when they encountered a group of frozen people. They were counting bodies when there was a screeching sound and everything went black.
Teal'c was the first person awake. When no one from the team would respond on the radio, he went jogging through the ship until he found Jack, Rebecca and Sam. All three of them were unconscious. He moved over to Daniel, who screamed when he woke up.
"How are they?" Janet asked when SG-4 brought the three unconscious members of SG-1 through.
"They're unconscious but stable." Said the SG-4 member who was carrying Rebecca.
After Teal'c brought Daniel through he went berserk when the wormhole disappeared. A medical team took him to the infirmary. Teal'c and General Hammond watched while Janet questioned Daniel. The only thing that came out of the questioning was the trio realized that Daniel wasn't Daniel.
"I'm going to go check on the rest of SG-1." Janet said before heading to the infirmary.
"Doctor Frasier, the Colonel is awake." A nurse said when Jack groaned.
"How are you feeling, sir?" Janet asked, after sending the nurse to tell Hammond that Jack was awake.
"Headache. Bad." Jack replied.
"Well, I can take care of that, but first I need to know if you're feeling … yourself." Janet replied.
Jack looked at Janet for a moment. "Well, other than this … nail through my head … fine. Why?"
"I'll explain later." Janet said looking relieved. "Teal'c managed to get the four of you back through the StarGate from the ship. My team took it from there."
"Rebecca, Daniel and Carter?" Jack asked.
"Captain Jackson and Major Carter are suffering the same after effects as you, Sir." Janet replied.
"Janet?" Sam and Rebecca said at the same time as they both woke up.
"Sam … Rebecca …" Janet said moving to stand between the women's beds. "It's gonna be fine. All three of you are suffering some sort of neural shock."
"Colonel? Major? Captain? How are you feeling?" General Hammond asked, walking into the infirmary.
Jack grimaced. "Got a nail in my head, Sir?"
"That sounds like our Colonel O'Neill." Hammond said with a smile. Janet told the General that they were not affected by the same thing that Daniel was.
"Where's Daniel?" Rebecca asked, trying to sit up.
"I need you to stay right where you are." Janet said, trying to stop the young woman.
Rebecca gave in when her head started pounding again. "Where's my husband?" She asked weakly.
Janet was talking to Daniel again when Rebecca, Jack and Sam joined Hammond and Teal'c in the observation room. "O'Neill, Major Carter, Rebecca Jackson. I am pleased to see you have recovered." Teal'c said.
"I want to be in there with him." Rebecca said softly, touching the glass.
"I don't think that's possible, Captain." Hammond replied.
"Then make it possible sir." Rebecca responded. She zoned out while Hammond gave everyone else orders. She didn't look at the other people in the room until Teal'c and Sam left.
"Sit down Becca." Jack said guiding her over to the chair that Teal'c had vacated. He looked at Hammond before the older man left. Hammond returned after a moment and led Rebecca into the isolation room.
"Tryan, this is Doctor Jackson's wife Rebecca. She wishes to sit in on our conversation." Janet said.
"That is fine." Tryan answered, smiling at the woman. Rebecca took a seat next to Janet and listened as the woman continued talking to the being inside of Daniel.
Rebecca looked up abruptly when she heard Daniel gasp. "Janet."
"Daniel?" Janet asked.
"What's going on?" Daniel asked.
"Daniel …" Rebecca said, sitting forward.
"Becca …" Daniel managed before another personality took over.
A little while later, SG-1 was gathered around the table in the briefing room and listening to Janet describe the experience. "Captain?" Hammond asked, turning to Rebecca.
"She's right, one minute he was there and then … but this proved that Daniel is still in his body, somewhere." Rebecca answered.
"What if this was a desperate attempt to preserve this people?" Janet asked.
"So they're using Daniel as a lifeboat?" Sam questioned.
"It's possible." Janet replied. Sam and Teal'c went back to the ship with SG-12 as back up while Jack and Rebecca returned to the observation room overlooking the isolation room. Jack watched his daughter closely while she watched Janet talk to Daniel.
"Are you alright?" Jack asked.
"I'll be a lot better when I get my husband back." Rebecca replied softly. She went back to watching Janet and Daniel. She didn't even look up when Hammond joined them in the observation room. She did look up when Teal'c came in.
Jack nodded at the man they brought from the ship. "You sure you trust this guy?"
"I would trust the devil if he could bring Daniel back to me." Rebecca muttered, still looking into the other room. She watched as the man spoke to whatever personality was dominant in Daniel.
Both Jack and Rebecca stormed into the room when Pharrin, bowed in front of Daniel because of something that one of the personalities said. "Get up!" Jack growled to Pharrin.
"I have sworn to protect the sovereign." Pharrin protested.
Jack reached down and pulled Pharrin to his feet. "You're sovereign's dead! Get up!"
Pharrin continued to protest. "His soul lives on …"
"Not if I cut him out!" Jack growled.
"You would not …" Pharrin started.
"Oh yes I would." Jack replied.
"And if he didn't I would." Rebecca said coming over to them.
The personality in Daniel snapped. "Pharrin, you will listen to me …"
"Don't listen! You just do what you came here to do." Jack shot back.
Pharrin looked on in anguish as he replied. "Forgive us, Sovereign. It is the only way to protect our people."
"I will not surrender this body, not at any cost. It is mine." The personality snapped.
"No." Rebecca snapped, striding forward and grabbing him. "That body is my husband's and you will let him go!"
"How dare you touch me woman." The personality roared, shoving Rebecca away.
"I want my husband back!" Rebecca screamed as Sam grabbed her. They watched as Pharrin's son emerged and was convinced to let Daniel go.
"How's Daniel?" Sam asked after they had returned to the ship so Daniel could undergo the process of getting the personalities removed.
Janet looked over at Daniel. "He'll probably be unconscious for a while. I think it's best if we get …"
"What?" Daniel asked waking up.
"Daniel? Is that you?" Rebecca asked, going over and taking his hand.
"Becca?" Daniel said softly, barely opening his eyes.
"How are you doing?" Rebecca questioned.
"Bad headache." Daniel replied.
"Nail-in-the-head kind of thing?" Jack asked.
"Something like that." Daniel answered.
"Don't you ever leave me again." Rebecca whispered, squeezing his hand.
"I won't. I promise." Daniel replied. He pulled her close and kissed her. "I love you."
"I love you too." Rebecca responded. "When can I take him home?"
"Soon." Janet promised with a smile.
A couple hours later, Jack let the three of them into the house. "I'm going to bed." He said to the kissing couple. Jack rolled his eyes and headed off towards his bedroom.
Daniel and Rebecca made it to their room, kissing the whole way. "I was going crazy without you." Rebecca murmured as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up. She instantly wrapped her legs around his waist. Rebecca cupped his face and kissed him lingeringly as he walked them over to the bed. When he felt it hit his legs, he carefully fell forward. Their clothes seemed to melt away and they came together in quiet desperation.
Rebecca sighed as she lay in the circle of Daniel's arms. She pressed her ear against his chest so she could hear his steady heartbeat. "Maybe we should renew our vows." Daniel mused aloud as he ran a hand up and down her arm. "Have that nice chapel wedding just like we planned."
"Do you really mean that?" Rebecca asked, rising up on her elbow to look down at him. Her hand rested on his chest.
"It wouldn't be a bad idea." He answered softly, pulling her to him for a lingering kiss. "I love you so much. When I was trapped inside myself because of all of those people you were the only thing that could bring me out that brief second that I reappeared. I knew that you and Jack were there and despite everything it made me feel safe." Daniel woke up the next morning alone in bed. "Becca." He called softly as he pulled on a pair of sweatpants. He stopped outside the closed bathroom door when he heard the sound of someone throwing up.
"Daniel?" Jack asked coming out of his bedroom, similarly attired.
"Becca?" Daniel called, knocking on the bathroom door. He heard the toilet flush and a second later Rebecca emerged.
"I feel like crap." Rebecca moaned as Daniel drew her into his arms.
"Why don't you go back to bed and lay down Becca." Jack said softly. "We're on stand down today." Rebecca nodded and went back to her and Daniel's bedroom.
"Do you want anything?" Daniel asked, following her.
"No." She groaned, lying on the bed. When she threw up a second time, Jack called Janet, who showed up at the house twenty minutes later.
"I'm probably just over reacting." Jack said, letting the doctor into the house and leading her to the couple's bedroom.
"It's better to be safe than sorry Colonel." Janet said, walking into the room. "How are you feeling Rebecca?"
"A little bit better." She said softly.
"Good. I'm still going to take a look at you if you don't mind." Janet said walking over to the bed. "Colonel, Daniel, if you'll step outside please." Janet waited until the men obeyed. "Is it just your stomach?"
"Yes." Rebecca answered. She groaned when Janet touched a particularly tender spot on her belly.
"When are you supposed to get your period Becca?" Janet asked.
"I'm a couple days late." Rebecca answered. "I never really thought about it because I've never been regular."
"I want to take you to the infirmary and run a test just to be sure, alright?" The doctor asked. Rebecca just nodded which was a mistake because she had to go and throw up again. Janet went with her and held her hair. While Rebecca was getting dressed Janet stepped out into the living room to talk to the men. "I'm going to take Rebecca to the base and run a couple tests."
"What's wrong?" Daniel asked.
"I'm sure it's nothing, this is just a precaution Daniel." Janet said when Rebecca emerged. "You ready to go?"
"Yes." Rebecca replied.
"I'll bring her back in a little bit." Janet called over her shoulder as she escorted the girl out.
Rebecca was quiet when Janet brought her back an hour and a half later. "Daniel, I need to talk to you."
"Of course." Daniel said, getting up from the chair and following her into their bedroom. "What's going on?"
"Janet's going to be taking me out of action for awhile." Rebecca said softly. "I have to tell Daddy but I wanted to tell you first."
"Why?" Daniel asked, immediately alarmed. "Did she find something on one of the tests?"
"Yes." Rebecca said softly. "And she only ran one test."
"What is it?" Daniel questioned.
"You're going to be a daddy." Rebecca replied.
"I'm what?" Daniel asked dumbfounded.
"I'm pregnant." Rebecca said softly.
Her heart sank when Daniel sank down onto the bed with his head in his hands. "Except for that first time, we've been so careful …"
"Once is all it takes, Daniel." Rebecca snapped, walking out of their bedroom.
"Damn it." Daniel swore under his breath and chased her into the living room. "Where the hell are you going?"
"I need to think Daniel." Rebecca replied, snatching up the keys to the car. Neither of them noticed Jack sitting on the couch watching them.
Daniel quickly snatched the keys out of her hand. "You're not running away Rebecca."
"I'm not …" She said weakly.
"Like you didn't run away after I died?" He snapped.
"I don't want to talk about this." Rebecca snapped, grabbing for the keys.
"You left because of what happened to me, because you couldn't deal." Daniel went on not wanting to drop it. He was surprised when Rebecca slapped him; she had never raised a hand to him before.
"I wanted to die when you did." Rebecca yelled. "Jonas had to hold me back to keep me from jumping into that room with you. I went to Iraq, hoping to die just so I would be with you again. And then we go to that planet and I find you. I was … am so scared that I'm going to lose you again. I knew what I was doing when we made love in your tent. I knew what the risks were and I didn't care. Cause then I would have a reason to go on living the next time you got taken away from me." She was crying by the time that she finished and both Daniel and Jack were stunned.
"Becca …" Daniel said softly trying to take her into his arms.
"No." She cried pushing him away. "I'm sorry if I've ruined your life Daniel." She stalked back down the hallway and slammed their bedroom door.
"What was that about?" Jack asked when he finally found his voice.
"You're going to be a grandfather." Daniel replied.
Rebecca avoided Daniel for the rest of the day. She didn't speak to him until he came out of the bathroom that night. Rebecca was already lying in bed. "If you don't want me to have this baby …"
"Becca," Daniel said softly, sitting next to her on the bed. "I was in shock. I've always wanted to be a father; I just thought that I would have you to myself for awhile."
"You're not mad?" Rebecca asked softly.
"No, honey, I'm not. I'm just concerned for you, that's all." Daniel answered leaning down to kiss her.