Author's Note: Titus, I'll give ya an extra five points for that ;) My mysterious guest, nicely done!
o0o
Chapter Four
They followed Carolyn's advice to the letter.
Daniel went about his week the way he apparently always did, according to Vala, but it didn't spark any recognition of his life. He got up each morning, did everything he was supposed to do, helped Vala with the children, got them ready for preschool, and all before heading to the SGC to do work he wasn't entirely sure how to do. Coming into the middle of a complex translation where he remembered nothing about what he had previously translated wasn't the easiest and it had taken him a lot longer than he wanted to admit to backtrack and redo it. He learned a lot more about Atlantis, how it got here, and just how involved he was with it.
He also learned more about his personal life.
Daniel married Vala not long after his last memory. Though she wouldn't tell him anything about their life and marriage, per Carolyn's instructions, he had found their wedding album and couldn't help himself; he peeked. He had never seen himself so happy and it was only in photos. The way he looked at Vala was unlike anything he recognized in himself and he felt himself longing to feel that for her again.
"You're not supposed to be looking at that," Vala said from behind him.
Daniel didn't shut the album or bother to show remorse for his actions. "How am I supposed to help myself?" he questioned, flipping through another page, "You know I'm naturally curious and it was just sitting there."
She took a seat beside him. "Anything?" she asked hesitantly.
He gently traced her in one of the photos of them. "No," he answered despondently and glanced at her, "You are absolutely gorgeous here."
"I know," she said softly, smiling, "but when am I not? You were very handsome as well."
"Was?"
"Daniel Jackson, are you fishing for compliments?"
"And if I am?" he said challengingly.
Vala laughed and it sent shivers down his spine. He hadn't heard her let out a real laugh since all of this happened and it warmed him on the inside. At this rate, he could see himself falling for her all over again, which he oddly didn't mind, but what he did mind was not remembering the first time he did – and he would really like too.
o0o
There was nothing good about not remembering your life, but the worst of it was when you didn't know something critical regarding one of your children.
Daniel saw how stressful this was for Vala and though she tried to hide just how hard it was for her, he could see through her attempts, and saw how mentally taxing it was for her. On his third morning of not remembering, he made sure he was up before her so he could take care of getting the kids ready and fed. It had been going great and he was doing a decent job, if he did say so himself, but that had only lasted until breakfast and while that might not seem like a such an accomplishment, his children did wake up before the sun - hours before breakfast.
Vala came in as he was setting down the plates full of food for the kids. Vala had eyed the table and quickly snatched Theon's plate from him. "That one's mine," she said lightly and kissed his head.
Daniel frowned at her as she came to his side by the island. "Yours is right here," he contradicted her, gesturing to the non spider-man themed plate.
She gave him a tight smile. "Theon is allergic to strawberries," she murmured as she swept the offensive fruit off Theon's plate and onto her.
Daniel slumped. "Fuck," he whispered and lowered his head, glaring at the countertop.
"You didn't know," she told him, "and I should've told you; that was a mistake on my part."
"I could've killed him," he hissed at her.
Vala laid a hand on his arm, causing him to face her. "He's not deathly allergic. Carolyn didn't even insist he have an Epi pen," she tried to reassure him, "It's my fault, Daniel, that's something I should've told you."
Daniel nodded but still felt sick inside. "Isla?" he inquired.
Vala smiled. "Loves them."
He sighed in relief. "That's good to know," he said and stared at the children, "Anything like that I should know?"
She thought for a moment before shaking her head. "No, that's it. No other allergies or medical conditions."
"Good."
Though it was a minor crisis, if you could call it that, it made Daniel even more determined to get those years back. Who knows what else he was missing out on. He already knew it was a lot, but everyday that went by, the more apparent just how much he was missing out on.
o0o
Saturday, a week after 'the incident,' found Daniel and Vala back at the SGC's infirmary. It had been a full week and nothing had come back to Daniel, nothing he'd seen or experienced in the last week was familiar to him at all. It was now time to try the Galaran device.
"I want to give it more time," Carolyn stated honestly as she looked at the couple.
"You said a week and if they didn't came back, we could do this," Vala reminded her.
The doctor sighed. "I know what I said, but I'd really like to give this more time."
"No!" Daniel firmly denied, causing the woman to jump a bit.
"Daniel – "
"No," he denied again, "Carolyn, I gave Theon strawberries the other day without knowing about his allergy. I now know he isn't deathly allergic, but what if he was and I didn't know? I could've killed my son!"
"But he isn't and I'm sure Vala's told you all important medical inf – "
"I don't care!" he interrupted, "We're doing this. I'm tired of not knowing who my wife is, who my kids are! Do you have any idea what that's like?"
Carolyn was silent for a moment before answering, "No, I don't."
"We're doing this," he insisted once more, "I'm getting my memories back, my life back."
The doctor nodded. "Okay," she relented, "Let's go find those memories."
o0o
His memories from the last four years weren't there.
At least none they could find. There was some interference with the device but based on what the technician had been seeing, there were no memories from the last four years. Upon finding out, Vala had fled the room, searching for Sam. The Colonel's ship had been docked for the last week for upgrades and minor repairs and was currently doing some experiments in her old lab for fun. Vala had all but dragged her out and demanded for her to figure out what was wrong with the device and to find the missing memories.
But Sam had been unable to.
Vala had fled again, but this time, she fled the base, leaving Daniel behind. He had wanted to go after her, but Sam stopped him and went instead. He forced himself not to go after her and listen to Sam. This was hard for Vala, probably harder for her than it was for him. She had essentially lost a husband. He could always grow closer to her and their kids, but he could never bring back the man she had been married to for the past four years.
Daniel sought out Mitchell and the children and when the Colonel saw the forlorn expression on his face, he knew his friend wasn't getting his memories back anytime soon. Daniel was thankful that he didn't have to explain, and that Mitchell didn't push for him to talk about it.
"Let's get you guys home," Mitchell suggested, picking up one of his daughters.
Daniel did the same with Isla. "No," he vetoed the idea, "Vala probably went home, and I think she could use some time to herself."
Mitchell's face was one of sympathy. "How about the p-a-r-k?" he spelled out.
"Sure," he agreed half-heartedly.
They had only been there for roughly ten minutes before Mitchell told him to go home. When Daniel tried to argue, Mitchell insisted. "I know that look, Jackson," he told his friend, "You need to be with her, I know you do."
Daniel raised his brows. "I have this look often?"
"Only when you're worried about her," Cam said with a small smile, "She needs you and you need her. Go, I got the kids."
"You sure?"
"Yeah," he waved Daniel off, "I'll drop them off in an hour or so."
Daniel didn't argue further. "Thanks, Cam."
o0o
He noticed Sam's car in front of their home so he cautiously opened the door, trying to determine whether he should actually come in and stay or make himself scarce. When he heard no sounds from either the living room or kitchen, he assumed they were in the master bedroom.
He wasn't proud of it, but he stealthily snuck down the hallway to see if he could hear any of their conversation. He wanted, no needed, to know where she was at, especially if he wanted to help her through this properly.
" – stop staying that!" he heard Vala snapped, "They're not there, they're gone, and they're never coming back! Daniel is never coming back!"
"Vala, Daniel is here!" Sam argued, "Yes, he's the one from four years ago, but he still fell in love with you and you him. You loved him for almost six years, you loved him where his memories currently are. I know things are different now, but that doesn't mean your marriage is over."
"Things are more than just different now, Sam!" Vala protested, "We have children and he's never going to remember the love that brought them into this world!"
"We still don't know how this happened," Sam pointed out, "there's still a chance we could figure out how."
"All I hear is 'if,' Sam," Vala said, voice breaking, "I don't needs ifs, I need my husband! I can't do this without him!"
"Daniel loves you," Sam told her softly, "and he loved you back then; he just didn't know it yet, but he will. He'll get back to that place, I guarantee it."
"But that Daniel doesn't know what it was like," Vala contradicted, "He doesn't understand and he won't because he wasn't there!"
There was a pause. "Vala, what're you talking about?" Sam asked gently.
Daniel heard Vala sniffed loudly and he almost didn't hear her reply. "Sam, I'm pregnant."
While Sam paused again, Daniel leaned heavily against the wall, feeling like he had been kicked in the chest. Pregnant? They were having another baby?
"But I thought…after Isla…I thought Carolyn said…how is this possible?" Sam stuttered out, confusing the hell out of Daniel.
"I don't know!" Vala exclaimed hysterically, "All I know is that I'm pregnant."
"Did Daniel know?"
Vala sniffed again. "No, I didn't tell anyone," Vala admitted meekly, "I took a few of those home tests and they all came out positive. After what Carolyn said, I didn't say anything because I thought I would lose it within a week or two…but I never did."
"Vala, you shouldn't have taken this up on your own," Sam chastised gently, "How far along are you?"
"Almost fourteen weeks," she confessed before she chuckled bitterly, "I was going to tell Daniel about it right before all this went down. I was waiting until the second trimester started before saying anything since it's relatively safe to assume the baby is sticking around at that point…but now I don't know what to do. I need my Daniel."
She had expected to lose the baby? Why? What happened with Isla's birth? Daniel's mind went crazy with possibilities while simultaneously worrying about Vala and unborn child; was the baby in danger? Vala?
"Vala, you need to see Carolyn," Sam stated firmly, "You haven't had any type of prenatal care, you have been checked out or anything; you need to see her."
"I bought some prenatal vitamins, so you don't have to worry there."
"But what if something's wrong?" Sam questioned, "You weren't supposed to be able to get pregnant again, but here you are. You need to have her examine you."
"I know and I will," Vala promised quietly.
"And you need to tell Daniel," Sam continued, "Whether he remembers or not, he deserves to know."
"I know," she whispered, "Sam, I'm so scared. I need my Daniel, but that's not possible right now. I don't know how to do this without him."
"He's here, Vala," Sam said softly, "he may not remember, but he still is Daniel. He still loves you and will be here for you."
"But he doesn't know what it was like last time."
"Then tell him!" Sam suggested, "Tell him everything. He can't help and understand if you don't confide in him. He'll want to be here for you, I know he will."
Daniel shoved off the wall, unable to keep listening. He needed air and quickly went outside, deciding to wait for either Sam and Vala to finish or for Cam to bring the kids home; either way, he was staying out on the porch so he could process all the new information he just heard.
The few things he knew was that Isla's pregnancy had complications, ones that led to Carolyn believing Isla would be their last child. How close had he gotten to losing both of them? And what did that mean for Vala now and this baby?
Oh gods, he couldn't lose her, not when he was finally admitted to himself what he felt for her, not now that he was allowing himself to feel those emotions.
o0o
Author's Note: So...who all guessed all of that? Raise your hands! Though if you've read my past works, it was probably very obvious...
Who has a guess as to what's going on? Where did those memories go? Don't be shy now!