"Look, Sam said the Tok'ra are gonna be here; we need to wait," Cam repeated, for at least the fourth time, over his shoulder at Vala as she threw herself onto the ground like a spoiled child. Bewilderment in her eyes, Teyla leaned back, carefully to Adrienne, tilting her head to whisper in her ear.
"Is she always like this?" she asked, this only being the second or third mission she had been on with Vala, that is, even if one could call this a mission.
Three days ago, out of the blue, a strange signal came in from P3X-888, one that had Daniel in a near panic for Chaka and his friends. Opening the Iris, equally as concerned, Sam raced to the gate only to receive a message, in code, code she and Daniel barely understood. It was short, indicating only that the Tok'ra were aware of Anubis' escape and to meet at these coordinates in seventy two hours, coordinates they had been waiting at for at least six.
"More or less," Adrienne grinned, having grown used to Vala's behavior. It was like having a little sister that was really older, taller and crazier, one that provided her with endless sources of personal amusement.
"And to think I make fun of Sheppard when he whines," she joked in return, returning to her watchful stance.
"Oh please make fun of her," Adrienne laughed, "I welcome someone else into the fold."
Teyla just smiled and looked back at the caves down the hill from whence Adrienne had come, sent to see if the Tok'ra had arrived. There was no time clock for their arrival beyond the three days; the message pretty much said they would be here today and that was all, so here they were, playing the waiting game.
Teyla, a bit antsy for a lack of things to do around the SGC, had volunteered to come, leaving her son Torrin in John Sheppard's care. Adrienne felt bad, there was really nothing to do here either but sit and wait and listen to Vala whine and Cam fuss, but she was assuming that Teyla was just enjoying not having to answer to someone under the age of 18. She guessed Teyla could come with she and Daniel, but to be honest, that wasn't all that exciting either and Adrienne was somewhat enjoying their quiet time together.
Shrugging, she turned again to face Teyla, sympathy on her face.
"Well, I was just coming to check if you guys had heard anything, but if not it's back to listen to my own big whiner," she quipped, eager to return back to Daniel but also not wanting to show it outwardly. She'd been enjoying this little excursion, the two of them, alone in the caves; there was something about it that was just nice even if they were working.
Teyla laughed lightly, relaxing finally, tucking the gun under her arm instead of using it to guide her scan of the horizon. As the one mom in the group, she took no chances with her life or the lives of her friends, so despite the planet's friendly appearance, she had refused to relinquish her P90 for a moment.
"What is he doing down there?" she asked, having noted Daniel's absence from the group for hours and Adrienne rolled her eyes, shaking her head at her boss's endless geekiness.
"Apparently, they've been here before, I guess that's why the Tok'ra chose it. When they last explored this planet they found writing in the caves, some dialect that he's picked up. It's not anything I know, so I'm not quite sure why he dragged me along," she answered, even though she knew why and it was nice to be wanted, even if he was just enjoying her company.
"With those IOA folks it seems to be all about numbers, and five seems to be the magic number lately..." Teyla smiled, one that Adrienne didn't quite trust, a look like she knew something and she just shrugged, jogging back in the direction of her boss, her best friend, the one person she loved more than anyone else in the universe, her boyfriend...
She had declared a little over a week ago that middle school terms or not that she was a scientist and scientists like operational terms.
Ergo, her operational term for Daniel was going to be boyfriend, and, if he was going to continue to behave with her as he was, he was going to accept that.
He didn't argue for a moment.
She remembered the conversation again as she ran, breathing in the fresh air around her, regretting that once they met up with the Tok'ra that they would have to go home to a cold and wet early winter in Washington D.C.
Here, the grass was so green that it seemed to shimmer in the light of the two suns which shone ahead like two parents lovingly overlooking their children. The entire planet was either some wonderful dream or a movie set in New Zealand, even the cave had a romantic quality to it. The thought made her smile to herself as she stuck her head in and clicked on her flashlight, heading back for Daniel.
For her Daniel.
"Hey Indy, find anything cool?" she shouted.
"Short Round, you're back," he looked over his shoulder and smiled, his eyes sparkling in the beam of her flashlight. Shaking her head, she laughed, truly touched when he did things like that.
"Excellent my young padawan, taught you well I have," she joked and knelt behind him putting her chin on his shoulder and bringing her cheek right beside his, stealing a kiss. Turning his head he pecked her lips gently, cutting his eyes back, hoping that no one saw, that no one else was here and reached his fingers forward again, letting them trace the characters on the wall.
"No, not really. Just a few lines about how they grew crops and some notes on hunting expeditions but nothing really valuable. Glad to know I obsessed over this for three years for nothing," he shrugged, rubbing her back lightly. Lifting her eyebrows in a sort of silent apology, Adrienne sat back onto to cold cave floor and sighed.
He had been so excited this morning and the days leading up to the mission that she felt bad he had found nothing so she remained silent, at a loss as to what else she could say.
"No Tok'ra yet, huh?" Daniel asked her, breaking the awkward silence.
"Not yet, and Vala's throwing a tantrum," Adrienne answered, glad to change the subject.
"So what else is new?" Daniel replied.
Laughing, Adrienne reached into her pack, since there were no notes to take, pulling out a novel and crawled closer to the light Daniel had set up, the replacement light she had purchased after Vala had broken her fancy LED light.
Accidentally, Vala had broken the light accidentally, she reminded herself, but she was still a little annoyed by the entire thing.
"Zombies?" Daniel asked, looking at her curiously, glancing over his glasses to see what she was reading. Turning to face the cover to him, Adrienne shook her head.
"No, back to vampires, still waiting on the next zombie issue to come out," she answered, recalling the last page she was on and turning to it.
"Any good?" he kept questioning while he jotted things into his journal.
"Well, Sookie dumped that stupid weretiger, so I'm not quitting the series just yet," she answered, not looking up as she scanned the page.
"Has she figured out she loves Eric?" he asked like it was the most normal conversation in the world, Adrienne looking at him strangely.
"What?" he looked back at her, noticing her pause.
"I never thought you listened to me about my stupid books," she said.
"Well, I do. Mostly because it fascinates me how a woman so intelligent can read that type of ... literature," he raised his eyebrows, "and because I try to impress you with my knowledge of pop culture."
"No, she's still lying to herself, trying to rationalize his actions," Adrienne answered, blushing, flattered again by his sweetness.
"Sounds like someone else I know," he joked, hoping she wouldn't throw that back at him and continuing, "Well, I guess I'll know when they finally do hook up," he stated and Adrienne cocked her head, puzzled.
"And how is that?" Adrienne was intrigued.
"Because it'll be the one moment that I'm trying to do something, like this, that you can't help with, and I'll be concentrating on the key word in the passage when you'll start screaming like a fool," he looked back at her, laughing.
"You don't love me," she teased, sticking her tongue out at him, kicking him with her extended leg, laughing and returning to her book.
A short time later, neither of them sure how long as Adrienne had been trapped in the world of vampire politics and Daniel in his rock wall reading, Vala came running into the cave, out of breath but seemingly delighted.
"THEY'RE HERE! FINALLY! LET'S GO, I'M SO BORED..." she shouted as if Daniel and Adrienne were across a football field instead of sitting right in front of her. They both glanced up at her and saw Teyla sticking her head in behind Vala.
"Our allies have arrived," Teyla said, "Cameron is briefing them now and we will be leaving soon." Adrienne sat up and began to pack her things while Daniel still stared away at the wall, his body language indicating that he had no intention of leaving at the present moment.
"Who came?" Daniel asked, not making eye contact, wondering if it was anyone he knew.
"Another one of your women," Vala stated, annoyed, flopping herself on the floor beside Adrienne, "Did Sookie dump that hot guy for stupid Eric?"
"Anise?" he followed up, jotting something else down in his book. Adrienne had been about to answer Vala's question since she knew Vala was a few volumes behind her, but she couldn't help but feel a tinge of jealousy at Vala's comment coupled with Daniel's answer, a tinge that Vala saw.
"Yes," Vala answered, "she's a bitch. No worries Addy, I can tell by the look on her face that he must have tossed her aside too. Glasses is all yours," Adrienne flushed at her response as Vala busted out laughing.
"You two are pathetic. I'm gonna wait outside, it's too damn cold in here," Vala said, standing, pushing past a waiting Teyla, whom Adrienne had forgotten was still standing at the entrance to the inner chamber.
"It is both Anise and Sina. They are both speaking with Cameron now, but there does not appear to be a rush. I will be at the top of the hill waiting. Take your time," she smiled and left.
"I like her," Adrienne told Daniel as she continued to put away their gear, "I think I'll be sad once Rodney figures out how to recharge the ZPM's. Other than him, the rest of them have kind of grown on me," Adrienne lamented.
She meant it, and even though things were a bit awkward after the date she and Ronon had a few months back, she would miss him too, but Daniel didn't look up.
"So when did you tell Vala?" he asked instead, as he continued to write.
"Tell Vala what?" Adrienne countered, confused, thinking more about what information the Tok'ra could have that was going to turn their entire world upside down and exactly how pretty was this other alien woman.
"About us," he answered, tucking the pen into the journal to finally peer back at her.
"I didn't, she just obnoxious and possibly psychic," Adrienne replied laughing but Daniel was already making a face at her.
"I figured after well, our last off world mission, that she knew," Daniel replied, as Adrienne was crawling forward, turning him to face her, running her palm down his cheek.
"Shug, she has the biggest mouth on the planet, possibly in the galaxy and I don't wanna be shipped to a basement of some research facility in the Arctic," Adrienne ventured, turning her head.
"I'd prefer that," he answered honestly, tossing his journal aside as Adrienne brought him into a deep long kiss, wrapping his arms around her, running his hands down her back.
She'd been a bit more tactile lately, more intimate, and no longer shrugging away when she had gotten him to a point of excitement like she had before. Granted, they still hadn't taken it much beyond very heavy kissing and some touching, but it wasn't the physical that made him so happy, it was that she finally trusted him enough to open herself up in ways she hadn't in a very long time. He let them kiss softly for a few moments, pulling her into his lap and sliding his hand into her uniform shirt to rub her back, wanting to feel her flesh and broke away reluctantly, letting his lips brush hers one more time before lightly guiding her from his legs, returning to his task.
Curious as to what he was doing and still desiring his touch, Adrienne pushed the gear bag aside and reached for his shoulders, a smile from their contact still lingering in her face.
"I thought you said it was nothing important," she asked, peering to see what he was looking at.
"It isn't, but I feel like I owe it to myself to keep going until we absolutely have to leave," he replied.
"Ok, well, it looks like we're all packed up except for what you are working on right now, so if it's ok I would love to enjoy the sunshine before I lose it..." she asked, not wanting to leave him alone but starting to feel withered in the cold, wet cave. If she could lay there in his arms, maybe she would want to stay, but he had work to do and they'd pushed their luck for the day as it was, after all, she could just kiss him tonight.
"Go ahead, I'll yell if I need you," he answered, resuming his translation. Permission granted, Adrienne threw her bag over her shoulder, leaning over to kiss his ear softly, and headed out into the inviting sunlight, relishing in the brilliant rays the moment she emerged from the mouth of the cave.
Tossing her pack onto the grass, laying down and leaning against it, she was able to get a few more chapters in when she heard Cam over the radio, now working since she wasn't in the cave.
"Ok, everyone let's regroup. Addy, are you hearing me? Please respond so I don't have to send our big baby to fetch you guys..." Cam's voice said into her shoulder. She laughed, almost wanting to not answer just to make Vala have to walk back down to the caves again, but she decided to play nice.
"Yeah, I can hear you. I'll go fetch him and we'll be up in a moment," Adrienne answered, clicking off her radio and leaning back to yell into the cave.
"Indy, we're being summoned!" she shouted.
"Alright, I'll be right there!" he yelled back.
"Well, you'd better hurry. I think Cam has hit his Vala toleration quota for the day," Adrienne warned and thought she heard laughing from inside.
Moments later he appeared from the cave, quickly shielding his eyes from the sun as the beams lit up his face.
"I was in there WAY too long," he said as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, trying to adjust to the brightness.
"I should start calling you Eric," she teased.
"So does that make you Pam?" he asked, waiting to see if she'd catch on.
"Only because Sookie is a big wuss," she responded, pulling on his jacket to kiss him again, probably more passionately then she should have risked. He returned the gesture, chills racing down his spine as he resisted the urge to drag her back out into that cave and kiss her some more, shoving her away quickly, laughing.
"You want us to get caught," he accused, as Adrienne started walking slowly up the hill, leaving him behind as she laughed.
Cam was dialing home when they arrived at the top of the hill, the team waiting patiently for their way home to take shape.
"Boy, you aren't gonna believe the shit they told us," Cam said, mostly to Daniel, as the pair of archaeologists reached the precipice of the slope. Frowning in concern, Daniel reached into his messenger bag to slide a journal into it, one he had read the entire way up the hill, almost walking into Adrienne at least five times, glancing back up at the colonel.
"Go ahead, because what I've got is about ten years' worth of hunting yields," Daniel replied, adjusting his pack. Cam was leaning on the DHD where he had started to dial and stopped, intending to explain to Daniel first.
"No, no, no, no," Vala leapt up from where she had been lying on the ground, whining, grabbing Cam's hand to return it the machine, "talk and dial Mitchell, talk and dial." Frowning he shooed her away, returning his attention to Daniel.
"So apparently we were correct, our good buddy has been traipsing all over the damn galaxy collecting whatever rag tags he can. He started with any homeless Ori soldiers he could find, whoever chose to not go with Tomin..."
"My husband," Vala interrupted, making Adrienne roll her eyes. She only acknowledged the man as her husband when it was convenient, which bothered Adrienne on a wide variety of levels.
"Whatever, anyway, he collected those that he could, plus a few marauders and traders that the Lucians have no use for, and, get this, some Jaffa, ones that are rebelling against the council," the colonel explained, Daniel expression growing more grim.
"He's essentially collecting everyone in the galaxy that could hold a grudge against us and uniting them. But why? For what cause?" Daniel asked, more to himself than anyone else.
"Great, can we talk about this at home?" Vala pushed her way between the two men proceeding to dial Earth once more. Letting out a breath of annoyance, Daniel moved her aside beginning to dial when he stop, remembering something.
"Hey Ad, did you see my red journal? The new one?" Daniel asked, digging around in his bag again, looking up at her and back into the bag.
"Are you kidding me, you lost something?!" Vala demanded, trudging over to rip Daniel's bag from his shoulder, spilling the contents onto the ground at the base of the stone ramp.
"What's wrong shug?" Adrienne stepped forward asking as Daniel glared at Vala, daring her to touch the mess now at his feet.
"Dammit, I left a journal. The one with my language notes on - " he started, but Adrienne interrupted, shaking her hand in front of her face.
"I'll run back," Adrienne volunteered.
"No, it's alright, you're not my servant Ad, I'll go," Daniel argued.
"I'm not your servant shug, but in a few minutes I'll be back in DC, cold and wet and in a briefing about Mr. Scary Jackal Head. I really don't mind running in the sunshine for a bit longer," she assured him, missing the rays of heat against her face already, making her miss the Bayou against her better judgement.
"Yes, let Addy go, Daniel's slow," Vala moaned and Daniel rolled his eyes.
"Fine, go Addy but hurry up, please, Sam's expecting us back pronto, and she's gonna wanna hear this," Cameron pleaded, directing his eyes over to Vala.
Adrienne knew his insistence had nothing to do with Sam and everything to do with not taping Vala's mouth shut, which, given a roll of duct tape, Cam just might do. Trying not to laugh, the cajun darted down the green hill once more, racing back to the caves.
"Wait up!" Teyla shouted, startling Adrienne at first as she came to a dead stop and ducked thinking something was wrong, that she missed some surprise attack from their apparently growing list of enemies. She relaxed, breathing out once she realized that it was just Teyla trying to catch up.
"I'm not gonna get shot between here and there Teyla, but I appreciate the gesture," Adrienne assured, her self-appointed guardian now approaching her.
"I know, it is safe here but I cannot listen to that woman a moment longer," Teyla answered and this time, Adrienne laughed, signaling that her Atlantian friend join her in her dash down the soft grassy hill.
When they arrived, Adrienne quickly crossed the threshold of the cave and clicked on her flashlight, making her way over to where Daniel had been working. She got onto her hands and knees and searched, running the beam along the crevasse where the rock wall and floor met, knocking a few damp rocks out of her way with her hands, but found nothing.
"Did you find it?" Teyla asked, standing behind the archaeologist, scanning the ground herself.
"No, gah damn saleau, I have no idea what he did with it. He's a spreader; I'm never sure how he finds anything," Adrienne replied, annoyed with herself as well that she chose to sunbathe and read instead of help him stay organized.
The poor man needed all of the help he could get, at least with anything related to desk and workplace organization.
There was a click behind her, a second beam joining her own and Teyla got down herself, intending to help as well. Pointing to Teyla to re-examine the area in front of her, Adrienne turned, crawling even deeper into the cave, thinking that maybe he had accidentally kicked it aside when she heard what sounded like a large explosion from behind them.
And then the world shook.
Daniel and Cameron were sitting on the steps leading to the gate waiting, chatting about the small electronic device that contained information from the Tok'ra spies, Vala now slumped over the DHD still complaining. Daniel just ignored her, more interested in the little bit of verbal information Cam had to offer since they would need Sam to activate the memory stick, but the colonel had had just about enough of her nonsense.
"Jesus Vala," Cameron said, "You're bored on-world, you're bored off-world, is there a time when you are not bored?"
Sticking out her tongue, she leaned up and smiled, raising her eyebrows at Daniel, who scowled at the non-verbal suggestion.
"Forget I asked," Cam replied, Daniel thinking to himself that if that was going to happen with anyone, it was going to be with Adrienne, feeling guilty immediately for the thought.
Don't push her Daniel, even mentally, he scolded.
"Back home there's TV. Here there's just grass, grass and more grass," she answered, sweeping the beautiful landscape with her hand, the landscape Adrienne had been in awe of when they arrived.
"You could bring a book. Adrienne always has something to read just in case," Daniel offered, remembering that at some point Vala was reading those silly vampire novels of Adrienne's, wondering why she didn't have one with her now.
"Adrienne always has something to read just in case," Vala mimicked his voice, adding an unnecessary whiny nasal, when they heard what sounded like an explosion, rising to their feet, looking around them for an attacker. The skies were clear, the gate was still standing there, dormant, when another explosion went off and the ground began to shake under their feet.
"Take cover," Cam yelled, and they braced themselves on the nearest structure, Daniel and Cam holding onto the stone platform leading to the gate while Vala clung to the DHD. The shaking went on for a good thirty seconds before stopping as suddenly as it started, as if nothing had happened.
"Everyone ok?" Cam asked.
"Good," Vala responded.
"Fine," Daniel answered and reached for his shoulder, "Ad, you almost back? Are you ok?" he said into the radio, hoping that she wasn't sprawled out in the grass, taken off guard by the tremor and lying helpless with a sprained ankle.
"Adrienne? Come in," Daniel repeated, fear rising in his voice. Why wasn't she answering? She should have been back already, or at the very least half way there.
"Just chill Jackson, there isn't signal in the caves," Cameron said, knowing where this was going; he had seen Daniel like this before, seen him panic over losing sight and contact with Addy.
Shooting a glance back at Cam, Daniel didn't respond, throwing his bag to the ground, running full speed back down the hill.
"Adrienne, are you alright?" Teyla called out into the darkness as Adrienne was dusting herself off trying to reach the flashlight from the crevice into which it had fallen.
"Yeah, just trying...to... got it!" she exclaimed, "and..." she looked at Teyla shining the flashlight in her face like she was going to tell a campfire ghost story, "I found the journal."
"Of course," Teyla replied, Adrienne muttering cajun swears under her breathe, the words Daniel and cooyon being the ones Teyla recognized.
"What do you believe was the cause of that?" the Athosian continued, shining the light all around the small stone room, searching for a cause of the shaking.
"I have no idea, but the earth's not moving under my feet because my heart beatin' as a viking vampire's calling my name," Adrienne answered, now humming the song under her breath.
"I'm sorry?" Teyla questioned, noting Adrienne was not looking around any longer for a cause, simply pointing the flashlight back from the direction they came.
"Nothing, bad attempt at a joke," Adrienne replied.
The women headed back around the corner in search of the mouth of the cave, stepping carefully through the pitch black using the guiding beam of Adrienne's small flashlight. They had gone only a short distance when Adrienne felt a gentle grab at her wrist and a tug from behind.
"Adrienne?" Teyla stopped their advance, asking curiously, "How far were you all working in the cave?"
"Not too far," Adrienne answered, "Why?"
"Did we get turned around?" she continued.
"No, why?" the archaeologist asked herself, turning her flashlight to her friend to see if she had missing something. There was a light click in the darkness and a flash, Teyla bringing her own lamp to life, shining it at Adrienne's feet and scanning upward slowly, revealing a wall of stone.
"Because if not, I think we are trapped," she stated as Adrienne brought her hand to her face.
"Why would I ever think anything we do is gonna be easy?" Adrienne sighed, and started to scan the wall for an opening.
When Daniel saw the cave his fears were confirmed; the entire entrance had collapsed leaving in its place a large pile of rubble.
"Adrienne!" Daniel screamed and began to pull at the rocks in the entrance, rock by rock, screaming her name looking for any sign that she was alive. She had to be alive, she just had to be alright, he thought, I can't lose her now that I have her.
There were footsteps, running footsteps behind him, Cameron and Vala racing to join him and hearing them, Daniel looked behind himself panic stricken.
"Come help me, they're trapped in there!" he shouted, pulling at rocks. No questions asked or needed, his teammates rushed over to help, pulling rocks one by one tossing them aside on the ground behind them, but just as they cleared one area entirely, more rocks just kept crashing down to replace the ones that they had removed.
"Adrienne, answer me!" Daniel screamed into the stone, hoping to get a response, his face distressed and his breath shallow.
Frantic, Daniel dropped to his knees, searching for an opening at the bottom as Vala reached to the top to do the same, pulling a large rock positioned right over Cameron's head, a rock larger than she expected. She was unable to hold onto it and it came down on top of him, hitting him square in the temple.
"Shit, Vala, be careful!" he yelled, grabbing his head, the group stopping their attack on the rubble to make sure he was alright.
"Cam, you're bleeding," Vala noted, reaching into her vest for some first aid supplies, stepping back to dig around in her pockets.
"I AM WELL AWARE OF THAT VALA!" Cam screamed at her and she apologized, nastily Daniel noted, thinking a lot more must have gone on back at the DHD than he knew about since Cam seemed much angrier than he normally would have been.
Grunting, Vala grabbed him by his arm, pulling him aside, sitting him down on the ground to mend the wound.
Daniel probably should have helped, he was the trained medic, but he couldn't focus, he could only focus on one thing, that the love of his life was on the other side of the debris, trapped and it was his fault.
"You stay put," he heard Vala order from behind him, seeing her joining him in pulling the rocks again, Daniel having moved back to the upper layer where Vala had been working before. She reached for another large rock, wedged next to the space formerly housing Cam's stone attacker, when her hand slipped from the sides, the large piece almost dropping on her. Assuming her hands were sweaty, and hoping the Cam hadn't noticed to start swearing at her again for being careless, Vala wiped the moisture from her palms and onto her BDU's before reaching up to get a better grasp, slipping again, staggering backward. Catching herself, Vala looked down at her hands, knowing that she wasn't sweating that bad, thinking maybe there was mud on them, perhaps some of the rocks were wet, the result of inner cave rocks coming cascading down on top of them, but they weren't.
Her hands were stained with a dark, thick red ooze: blood.
Her hands were stained with blood.
Shaking her head, Vala glanced back between herself and Cam quickly, distinctly remembering washing her hands off after tending to Cameron. She had no idea where the blood was coming from, her hands were clean, Cam's wound fixed, there were no cuts on her palms or between her fingers, when it hit her. Realizing what was going on Vala looked over at Daniel as he tossed another rocked behind him, grabbing his hands in her own before he could take down another.
His palms were covered in blood, the top layer of skin stripped, his hands raw.
"Stop," she whispered gently, but he jerked his hands from hers, glaring at her angrily, and kept pulling rocks out one at a time, wincing at each pull in pain, a wincing that she had not noticed before. She stood there, not saying a word, watching him pull a few more, each and every one slipping from his hand and to the ground, covered in brown and red streaks.
Wiping his hands onto his pants quickly, he reached up again to grab another.
"Daniel, stop," she now ordered, placing her hand on his shoulder, pulling him away. Heeding her request, he turned around to face her with a look of sadness on his face and what appeared to be tears in his eyes, muttering something that sounded like 'Ad, we're, she, I.'
She reached out for him, but he just stood there, looking lost and desperate.
"I know honey, I know," she squeezed his bicep, rubbing his arm, "I'm sure she's fine, but we need to get some help," Vala whispered softly, not wanting to embarrass Daniel.
She knew what was going on.
She had been right after the strange way they had acted on the last mission and this just confirmed it.
Daniel had apparently, from his mutterings, told Adrienne how he felt and now they were together.
Gripping his arm one final time, Vala turned to Cam to try and figure out a plan.
"Daniel! Daniel!" Adrienne shouted at the pile of stones yet again, stopping only to clear her sore throat and start shouting once more
"I think if they could hear us we would know," Teyla interjected as Adrienne was resting her throat for a third time.
"I know, but it makes me feel better, especially since I left my damn staff weapon back at the lab. You know like in the movies when they keep moving the rocks and the light peers through, and they shout comforting thoughts through to one another while they await rescue, that, if I keep screaming, maybe Daniel with answer," Adrienne babbled, sitting down on the ground leaning back onto the rubble.
"You watch a lot of movies," Teyla remarked, taking a seat beside her and clicking off the light, plunging both women into darkness.
"Watched. Past tense. Used to have a lot more free time on my hands," Adrienne replied, Teyla laughing.
"It's strange, I spent my whole life never knowing what television or movies were and now Torrin will never know a life without it," she said.
"But what if you guys can make it back?" Adrienne asked, wishing she had used a word other than if but Teyla didn't seem to notice.
"I am certain that this time John will bring much video entertainment," she responded, making Adrienne laugh. She was fairly certain that Teyla was correct, if John Sheppard had anything to do with it, there would be an entire video facility built to accommodate John, Ronon and Rodney's video game and film hobby.
"I was telling Daniel today that I will miss ya'll when you go. Kinda like Torrin and TV, I've never known a life at the SGC without you," Adrienne admitted.
"That is kind of you Adrienne. We have grown quite fond of you as well," Teyla answered, making her friend smile in the dark.
"Do you miss it?" she asked, unable to imagine what it was like to be stranded so far from home. The Bayou was far, not that she missed much about it, but when she did, she could just pick up the phone and listen to Rae talk about her horses or the new goat babies.
Teyla, on the other hand, didn't have that option.
"Some. The base, yes, it became home. The planet, no, it was not my first home. That I miss and I miss Kanaan," the last words were the quietest and broke Adrienne's heart. That she couldn't imagine either, being separated from someone as special as Kanaan was to Teyla, someone as special as Daniel was to her now. Choking up at the realization that he had become such an important part of her life, she reached over into the darkness for Teyla, grabbing her knee and squeezed.
"Did you leave someone behind?" Teyla asked, sensing her sadness, "To come work for the SGC?"
"Yes and no. My father died a few months before I was contacted by Sam and I have an interesting relationship with the rest of my family," Adrienne answered honestly, silently breathing in to compose herself.
"No one else?" Teyla pried and Adrienne realized that she was trying to have 'girl talk.' It was sweet; Teyla was such a kind woman.
Vala had proven to be a good friend in so many ways, but sitting here, talking to Teyla, Adrienne felt as if she could say anything and there would be no judgments and no insane suggestions. The Athosian wasn't much older than Adrienne she guessed, maybe six or seven years at best, but there was something about Teyla that just made her seem so much wiser.
"No one. There was a boyfriend for a few years, but he just didn't understand me. Wanted a more proper woman, so that didn't work out," Adrienne explained.
"I find it interesting what Earth defines as a proper woman. On Athos a women needed to be able to do everything a man could do and the reverse. Here, even for as advanced as you are, it seems that a woman still is expected to remain a lesser being," Teyla observed.
"I agree, completely, or at the very least give up every dream that they ever had the moment they're in a committed relationship," Adrienne continued, feeling sad once more that someday Teyla would leave the base, sooner than later if Rodney had his way.
Adrienne could really relate to Teyla, in a way she wished she could with Sam, if Sam was ever able to have a true free moment.
"I do not believe all Earth men are like that. I beleive that once one finds their other that things can be different," Teyla added.
Maybe, Adrienne thought, Daniel didn't seem to want for one moment that Adrienne stop anything, in fact, the whole reason they hadn't told anyone about their relationship was for fear of Adrienne losing her position at the SGC.
She smiled, realizing that maybe Daniel was her one, the only one, something she hadn't really thought about before. Sure, she had fallen in love with him, but beyond their day to day of being together and not getting caught, she hadn't thought about something more.
Daniel is my one…
This is more than just dating...
"You seem calmer now," Teyla said, interrupting her thoughts and revealing her original intention.
"I am, thanks. We just need to hang in there," Adrienne said, keeping the other lingering ponderings to herself.
"They will not leave us. It is not their way. Daniel will not leave you," Teyla added the last part carefully.
"No, he won't," Adrienne replied, not much more than a whisper, knowing in her heart that Teyla was right.
"I'm not going," Daniel argued with Cameron and Vala.
"Jackson, listen, it's getting dark and this place might seem safe but with Anubis snooping around and the damn Lucians, you have no idea what could come out at you. We're just hoping that this was an earthquake and not a surprise from your old friend," Cameron tried to reason with him.
"I don't care. What if they are working from the other side? What if just a few more stones and we can hear them and at least have a better idea if someone is hurt," Daniel retorted, his eyes cutting back continuing at the wall behind him as if he were expecting just that to happen.
"Dammit, Daniel, why can't you be reasonable?! We have no idea if they're even -" Cameron caught himself, not really thinking that anything had happened to his friends, just trying to consider all scenarios, but it was too late, the words had escaped his mouth and his co-leader was already storming up to his face, pointing his finger and shouting.
"Don't you even say it, don't even consider it!" he shouted, "I know she's on the other side just waiting for me to get to her!"
"She?! Daniel, we're assuming it is Adrienne AND Teyla in there. What the hell is your problem man?" Cam shoved him back, knowing full well what the problem was, a problem that as co-leader Daniel couldn't have. Fine, they might be together and if he found that to be true, Cam would keep his mouth shut, but Jackson couldn't stand here, losing his mind every time Adrienne might be hurt or in danger.
Refusing to back down from Daniel, not wanting it to come to blows but also feeling the need to inform him, if not verbally, that this was not how the team was going to run, Cam stood his ground as Vala walked over to him, reaching out for his arm.
"Let Daniel stay," Vala said carefully, "He has a radio, and I'll leave him my gun so he has two, just in case."
"You agree with him!?" Cam now directed his anger at her, "Do you realize how stupid you both sound right now?"
"Let him stay," Vala urged a second time, Cam shaking his head in disbelief. Apparently Vala was taking his side, though, given their history, he could not figure out why.
Glancing back quickly at his friend, his palms finally beginning to clot from his earlier bad decision, Cam sighed, opening a pouch on his vest, grabbing a small canister inside and tossing it over to Daniel.
"It's a gas bomb. It won't kill anyone, but can buy you sometime," Cam explained, giving in, deciding to leave him behind.
"Thanks," Daniel said as he caught the canister, slipping it into his own vest.
"I still think this is a bad idea," Cameron stated once more, wanting his opinion to be clear.
"I'm still staying," Daniel responded.
"Suit yourself," Cam replied and started up the hill toward the gate. Vala looked back at Daniel quickly and smiled, turning to follow Cam.
"What in the hell has gotten into him?" Cameron asked rhetorically, hearing Vala giggle from behind him.
"It's getting dark out," Adrienne stated some time later, having given up on digging out or shouting for Daniel. Frustrated, she had pulled off her tac vest, balling it into a tight ball of fabric to create a make shift pillow, laying down on the cold cave floor.
Daniel wouldn't let them down, Adrienne knew, she was just going to be patient and have to wait.
"How do you know?" Teyla asked, having not counted the time herself.
"I remember from the file, it gets dark here around 7 p.m. Earth time year round and my watch says it 6:55 our time," Adrienne answered, looking down at the analog watch she had gotten used to wearing, finally learning that her gadgets didn't always work when she needed them.
"Will it get colder?" Teyla asked another question, sounding worried.
"It might, but not much. This planet is pretty much a climatic paradise," Adrienne assured her trying to will away the coldness of the floor with the memory of the warmth of the sun on her cheeks.
"Did you look that up too?" Teyla teased.
"Of course. I've made the mistake of taking Daniel's word for it before," Adrienne giggled, knowing that important things like planet temperature were not items to be discussed with Daniel, who thought that sixty degrees was getting a little toasty.
"He is quite lucky to have you," Teyla stated, her tone changing.
"Who? Daniel?" Adrienne clarified, "Nah, he did fine on his own. He just gets tunnel vision on certain things."
"Perhaps," Teyla answered simply, "but you make him very happy."
Adrienne froze.
What did she mean by making him happy?
By doing her work?
Keeping him organized?
Or did she know...
Does everyone know!?
Dammit, I'm gonna get shipped off to Area 51 and my promotion hasn't even gone through!
"I dunno," Adrienne replied, trying to hide both their relationship for a little longer and her desire for him to come rushing in here, rescue her, take her into his arms and take her out of this stone prison.
"It is true. When you return from a mission or enter a room, Daniel lights with joy. I'm sure your joinings are glorious as well," the alien joked and Adrienne's heart skipped a beat.
Their joining?
Did she mean?
"I remember when we would go on a longer mission and I could not return to the village for many days and to join again with Kanaan was almost magical," Teyla continued.
Yep, Adrienne thought, that meant exactly what I thought it meant.
The Cajun blushed.
"I hope I did not offend you," Teyla spoke again, noting Adrienne's silence, "I have forgotten that in your culture you do not speak openly of such things."
"No, you didn't," Adrienne answered, laughing lightly, "took me off guard, because like you said, our culture, but I'm not offended."
Unlike some other people, Teyla was talking about love making in the sweetest most perfect way possible and wishing well upon her and Daniel, not anything dirty or malicious.
"Then you do not feel the same? Has Daniel done something to upset you?" Teyla started to question again.
Adrienne felt so stuck.
Why? Why did she care so much?
Her words were so certain, not as if she was guessing that they were together, but certain that they were. Nerves built up in her stomach, and for the first time Adrienne wanted to tell someone, she wanted to stand up and scream it from the rooftops that she had found the love of her life and she never wanted to be with anyone but him.
Yet, she didn't.
Sighing, Adrienne laid her head back against the tac vest again.
"Do not fear," Teyla added, "I have not spoken of this to anyone, nor will I. I understand there are rules against such things."
Adrienne didn't reply and Teyla didn't question her silence.
They were certainly colder now, but it wasn't unbearable. Adrienne could hear water dripping in the distance and closed her eyes imagining the slow process of water forming stalagmites like some old filmstrip from when she was in elementary school. It was a soothing image and she started to feel herself drift off to sleep slightly, but not totally since she was still aware of being in the cave.
Despite being trapped in relative darkness she wasn't scared; instead she sat there completely confident that Daniel would come sweeping in to save her. In her partially asleep state she played out the rescue in her head, a light peering through the wall, his voice on the other side, his hands pulling away the rocks. She imagined him bursting through the wall and running up to her, pulling her into his strong arms, looking her deep in the eyes and bringing his lips to her own. She wanted to imagine more, had imagined more, being in the bed with him kissing her neck, touching him lightly through his clothes, feeling his strong grasp at her backside, moving slowly and cautiously for her.
Much like it was becoming easier for her to tell him that she loved him, to kiss him, the idea of taking that next step, one she honestly hadn't truly considered being an option, was getting easier too.
In fact, hearing Teyla refer to joining actually made her embarrassed, in that typical 'raised in the South' way rather than sending her into a spiral of fear.
That was progress.
"Thanks," Adrienne finally answered, feeling Teyla lightly pat her leg in silent reply.
Daniel watched the sun go down and peeked at his watch noting that it was 7:00 p.m. Earth time, just like Adrienne had said. He remembered her telling him that the sun going down so early was the only thing about the planet that she didn't like and he remembered telling her she would get more time with Eric Northman.
That had earned him a punch in the arm, her flushed smile and a stolen kiss in the lab.
A long stolen kiss, one that he could almost feel against his own lips as he sat at what would be the mouth of the cave, waiting.
Vala and Cameron had been gone about forty five minutes. The walk to the gate was less than five, but he was sure that Sam was trying to find a way to get Adrienne and Teyla out of the cave without having to blow anything up, the general not being a huge fan of explosions that could cause more harm than good.
He was also certain that they would be bringing the medical team too, just in case, and he could see Adrienne's reaction now as she walked out of the cave to be greeted by Dr. Lam whom Adrienne would later swear had blamed the entire cave-in on her. Dr. Grumpypants she now called her, even though he had never thought of Carolyn as anything but nice, Adrienne claimed she had the bedside manner of an ice pop. He laughed to himself, thinking that if he had to patch up Adrienne as much as Carolyn had, he just might be a little grumpy too.
He also knew Adrienne was alright; he couldn't handle thinking anything else. She was his world now, his first thought in the morning and his last before bed, even if she wasn't in his arms for those thoughts. Now he finally had her, had finally told her, and they were trying so hard to overcome their pasts together, to be together despite it all.
If he lost her he just couldn't...
Daniel breathed in and tried not to think about it, glancing back in the direction of the gate.
"It is a foolish rule," Teyla stated, "Lifemates can make for strong leadership."
"Leadership?" Adrienne answered with a question, not even addressing the term she used, lifemates, which made Adrienne nervous.
That's what she was thinking too, just without the words to describe it.
He really was her everything, her lifemate, and she wanted him to be everything...
"I am certain that you will not be an assistant forever," Teyla added, as Adrienne nodded in the darkness.
"No, he actually put in a promotion request," Adrienne said as she sat up, "I'd no longer be his assistant..."
She trailed, tears in her eyes.
Not be his assistant?
She had appreciated what he had done for her, everything, but she hadn't thought that through.
"Then his equal?" Teyla pushed, sitting forward toward her, "Would you get your own research space?"
"I don't know," Adrienne admitted, "I hadn't thought about that. I…"
"Would miss him," Teyla finished, "You should tell him."
"Yeah, I mean, I'm sure he knows but," Adrienne replied, sighing, "It's just crazy to think how much my life has changed in the past couple of years."
"Life has a way of doing that," Teyla declared, "I never imagined being here on Earth, and for so long. I know I would give anything just touch Kanaan one more time."
Adrienne was speechless and heartbroken, pushing away her own selfish thoughts. She couldn't imagine being light years away from the person you loved most in this world, the father of your child, all with the knowledge that you very well may never see him again, ever.
Adrienne felt a tear roll down her cheek.
"Teyla," she whispered, "I'm sorry…"
"Do not be," Teyla said kindly, "I know I will see him again."
"You do?"
"Because with love," she noted, "you can overcome anything."
Adrienne felt a touch in the darkness, Teyla reaching over to clasp her hand.
She smiled a smile no one could see.
Everything was going to be alright.
His watch said 8:05 and Daniel couldn't wait any longer, looking at how Vala had bandaged his hands and glancing back at the wall. Digging into his bag he pulled out his travel trowel and the K-Bar he never used for defense, but rather used to pick dirt out of carvings and stood, pulling, hitting and chipping away at rocks once more.
He removed one, two, three, four rocks working quickly with determination.
A large pile formed behind him and he felt a surge of pain in his hand, scanning his palms to discover that the bandages were soaked through again, red, brown and wet. Daniel just squeezed his hands into a fist and kept working, determination in his blue eyes as they glistened in the moonlight.
Cameron paced impatiently in the gate room, his gaze alternating between the left entry doors and the clock, his mind running through every possible scenario of what he could be walking back into. Vala's intelligence from the planet insisted it was secure, but Cam couldn't help but wonder every time something went wrong that Anubis was somehow responsible and waiting in the wings, ready to show them what he was up to, finally.
He'd given Sam the memory stick from the Tok'ra and she had sent it straight to Zalenka for analysis, promising him that she would join him as soon as she had sent a team to rescue Adrienne and Teyla.
"What in the hell is taking Rodney so damn long!?" he swore, "Does he not realize we've got three people back there?"
"Cameron, it's ACID," Vala answered, for once the patient one, "Personally, I feel better knowing that he's securing it in something before we blast through that thing," she pointed at the Stargate.
"Well, he could still hurry," Cameron said as the medical team arrived, Dr. Lam in SG gear and her red crossed tack vest, flanked by two large orderlies with Dr. Keller bringing up the rear.
"She's as bad as he is," Carolyn spat as she was doing the clasp on the front of her vest, obviously having gotten dressed in a hurry and Vala laughed, thinking how many times she had told her friend the exact same thing.
"I'm serious. How in the world Sam found that man someone who is as much trouble as he is I will never know. She must come in once a week having done something stupid to herself, and I know for a fact she's got Ronon and Teal'c patching her up in between visits to me," Dr. Lam continued, adjusting her uniform and signaling to Walter that her team was complete.
"Technically," Cam defended his buddy, "it was an earthquake."
"And technically it was smuggler, the Ori, Adria, parasites..." Dr. Lam listed.
"Ok, ok, she's like another Jackson, we get the point," Cameron agreed as Vala just stood there smiling.
"Reports Vala," Cameron reminded, "I don't want to hear anything I have to report…"
"I said nothing," Vala replied, noting confusion in Carolyn's face.
"Report what?" the doctor asked as Cam shook his head.
"Nothing anyone here is going to discuss," Cam replied, interrupted by commotion entering behind him.
"Alright, let's go!" Rodney was yelling as he walked briskly around the corner with a large white canister that looked suspiciously like a paint sprayer. Deciding not to ask, although a part of him was worried about this acid in something as simple as a paint sprayer, Cam gave the signal and the gate began dialing.
More time passed.
Adrienne didn't want to even look at her watch.
Instead, she leapt from her seat on the floor, turning to face the rock wall again. She was gonna get out of here, not sit around like some damn damsel awaiting rescue; she was gonna get out of here, march out of this cave, grab her boyfriend by the front of his shirt and drag him back to her quarters.
"What are you doing?" Teyla asked, confused.
"I'm gonna get us out of here," Adrienne answered plainly.
"Then I will help you," Teyla stood and turned to face the wall as well.
"I know that Daniel'll come, but I'm not gonna just sit here like a gah damn capon waiting for some damn man," Adrienne defended, both her actions and her love.
"I understand. I was getting a bit anxious myself," Teyla said and together the two women began moving the rocks, quickly making a new stack behind them.
Daniel dropped another large rock onto the ground and looked back at the wall. It seemed smaller and it didn't appear as if more rocks had fallen to replace the old ones. He felt he was making progress and turned to pull himself upright seeing stars in his vision.
He shook his head, squeezed his bare, raw hands into fists and kept working.
One rock, two, three.
As Cameron crossed through the gate, he waited only long enough to see that the medical team and Rodney had made it through and then sprinted down the hill, Vala following close behind him. The cave wasn't far, a large gray obstruction in the blue green grass that glimmered in the starlight, but that wasn't what made Cam hold up his hand to halt the group, everyone behind him stopping and pulling their guns; it was the body slumped over a large pile of rocks, a body in a black t-shirt and black pants.
With a wave of his hand, Cam ordered the group approach slowly, but Vala shoved past him, running straight to their fallen comrade.
"Daniel," Vala leaned over him, shaking him gently to rouse him, paying no attention to the possibility of attack from a foe. Following her lead, Dr. Lam rushed over, falling to her knees, checking for a pulse.
"He's alive," she said and started to examine him for wounds, running her hands across him, searching for any type of bullet wound or other indicator. Looking him over carefully, she stopped at his hands, holding them in her own as she gazed back to Cameron.
"There doesn't appear to be anything wrong other than his hands. It looks like he literally passed out trying to take down this wall," she said.
"He has completely lost his damn mind!" Cameron exclaimed, resisting the urge to storm down to Daniel himself, wake the idiot up and rip him a new one.
"No, he hasn't," Vala said, still kneeling beside him, smoothing his hair down. Not commenting, Dr. Lam stood to go retrieve some supplies so Cameron knelt down beside Vala and the unconscious Daniel.
"Vala, do you know what is going on with him?" Cameron asked, not wanting to write the report, tell Sam, do any of the uncomfortable things he had been trying to avoid doing so long as Daniel and Adrienne just seemed to be possibly interested in one another and that was all...
"I do," she answered confidently.
"What then? If he's sick or something else, I need to know to make sure he is not a danger to the team," Cameron asked, trying not to influence her answer, not wanting to hear what he knew she was going to say.
"He's not," Vala responded quickly, adjusting him in her lap and removing his glasses, setting them gently aside.
"Then what in the hell is going on?" Cameron hissed, almost blurting out the question that was really floating around in his head.
"He's in love with Addy," Vala replied, "And she's in love with him."
Cameron rolled his eyes.
"Vala, we all think that," Cam muttered, "But rumors are just that rumors."
Vala frowned at him.
"Except when they're not…"
Cameron now frowned.
"I'm gonna have to write a report, aren't I?'
Vala shook her head.
"No, because they're still too stubborn to do anything about it."
Alright, this wasn't all bad, he thought, I might be able to salvage this without having my team ripped apart.
"But they've told you?" Cameron now asked; he had to know what he was dealing with.
Vala nodded.
"Does anyone else know?"
"Just Sam," Vala replied, "Well, Addy told Sam when she was drunk, so Sam might not have believed her."
"And Daniel?"
"I don't know if he's told anyone else but me."
"Ok," Cam declared, "Let's keep it that way. The longer we can, the longer I can avoid anything uncomfortable."
"That was my intention," Vala answered quickly, as Daniel began to stir in her lap.
"You got him?" Cameron asked, "I need to check on Rodney."
Vala nodded. Without further word, Cameron jogged back up the hill. Sighing, Vala looked down at Daniel, whose eyes opened slowly, his face in shock when he saw where he was. He sat up quickly, scooting away and shaking his head.
"You passed out stupid," she stated plainly, "We were coming right back."
Daniel shook his head, "I just, I couldn't…"
"Yeah yeah, let her suffer, die, be alone for five minutes, I know…"
Daniel frowned.
"When?" Vala now asked, but Daniel shook his head.
"Liar," she countered, "Things last mission were a little too easy for you both to say, to do. People that aren't together don't act like that."
Daniel breathed out slowly, pausing for a moment.
"When?" she asked again.
"A few weeks ago," he finally admitted, "After the intruders."
Vala nodded, standing and reaching down for his hand, but then changed her mind, walking behind him and reaching under his arms, trying her hardest to pull him upright. He grumbled, before adjusting himself to push upward and stand. He brushed him legs off the best he could, looking up to see her staring at him, hands on her hips.
"What?"
"I like her," Vala noted, "A lot."
"And?"
"And," Vala continued, "If you try to pull any shit like you did with me, I won't be as gentle as last time."
"Noted," he grumbled, rolling his eyes as the rest of the rescue team began to approach them.
"Feet pue tan!" Adrienne shouted and went to stick her cut finger into her mouth out of instinct, deciding against it just in time once she remembered what they had been doing, her hands covered in dirt and debris from moving the rocks from the wall to the pile behind them.
"Are you alright?" Teyla asked.
"Yea, just cut myself on a sharper one, but I'll live," Adrienne replied, shaking the wound out instead to banish the pain.
"We should take a rest for a while. I expect that they will come soon," Teyla responded.
Adrienne slunk back down to the floor of the cave and looked at her watch, knowing she had to, at the very least needed to let her finger clot, maybe wrap it in a bandage from her tac vest before continuing. It was 10:23 p.m., her stomach rumbling the moment her brain registered how late it was and she burst into laughter.
"What's so funny?" Teyla inquired.
"I'm hungry. If Daniel were here he would be trying to convince me that a Powerbar counts as food," Adrienne explained, imagining what it would be if the two of them were trapped in here.
That might have been nice, her thoughts wandered, a smile creeping across her face.
"Ok everyone, STAND BACK," Rodney ordered and Vala didn't argue. Weapons, fighting she had never been afraid of, but science gave her the creeps.
She'd leave those kinds of things up to her teammates.
Vala would have walked back over to where she had been trying to thin out rocks so they would have less to burn through, but for now she went over to where Dr. Lam was making Daniel sit and wait and sat down right beside him.
"Just a bit longer," she told him.
"Yeah and I bet they both are tired and hungry," he answered, a noncommittal answer, as if he was trying to make up for his extreme behavior earlier. Vala reached around and put her arm around his waist and he shrugged her away, like he always did, glaring at her angrily.
"Jesus Vala, not now," he told her and she laughed, but didn't say a word, just folded her arms back into her lap.
"Vala, can I talk to Daniel for a sec?" Cam appeared in front of them, glancing down at his friend and the man that was supposed to help him lead this team. Fully understanding what was about to happen, she looked back and forth between them before standing, shaking her head and walking over to where the doctor was setting up a station just in case Teyla and Adrienne were injured.
"Layer one!" Rodney shouted, "We will wait five minutes and move on to the next layer."
Daniel shook his head and sighed as Cam took a seat beside him, pointing the tip of his P-90 toward the rock structure.
"When they get through that you can't go racing down there like some god damn love sick puppy Daniel, are you hearing me?" Cam asked, cutting his eyes over at his teammate, embarrassment spreading across the archaeologist's face. Setting down the gun Cam continued, knowing he only had a very short time before he would be needed below.
"What the two of you do behind closed doors is your business, but what you two do on this team, how you two carry on on this team is my business. I understand how you feel about her, I do, but the way you acted today? You could have gotten yourself killed, kidnapped by Anubis, anything. I'm happy that you might have found something with Addy, I am, but you need to step back and realize that we also have a job to do here," Cam advised, carefully, trying not to scold someone who could probably technically be considered his superior, but Daniel didn't say a word, just looked down at his bandaged hands.
"Alright, shouldn't be much longer now. I'm sure she's fine. So, I'm gonna head down there and pretend that this conversation never happened," Cam added, tossing his arms over his knees looking ahead as Rodney directed SG-7 and his small science team through the next step in the burn.
"Do you hear that?" Teyla said as he looked over at Adrienne.
"Hear what?" she answered, not stopping, too intent on getting out of their prison. Her eyes scanning their surrounding as her ears heard the sounds again, Teyla reached over to grabbed her hand so she would stop.
"Listen," Teyla whispered, setting Adrienne's hand to her side. Holding her breath, the cajun stood in silence, listening carefully when she heard a low hissing sound coming from right in front of them.
"Sounds like a snake,"Adrienne stated not particularly frightened but beginning to look around her feet hoping she wouldn't get bitten; she didn't want yet another reason to go to the infirmary.
"It's coming from the other side," Teyla insisted, and Adrienne finally realizing that a snake in a cave was probably not very likely, stopped once more, to listen again, recognizing the sound, a sound she had heard in Rodney's labs on one of her numerous errands.
"We need to back up," she said and just as she pushed Teyla back, the noise intensified. Pressing themselves far against a side wall, the women watched the rubble as it began to smoke, the gray plumes slowly hissing toward them. The rocks crumbled away, dissolving into piles of fine sand allowing a light to shine suddenly in their faces.
"Dr. Rowan? Teyla? Are you alright?" the voice was Dr. Rodney McKay.
Adrienne was both disappointed and elated as Teyla laughed lightly.
"Yes Rodney, we are fine. We are hungry but we are fine," Teyla answered.
"Ok great, come on then and be careful," Rodney said, very kindly Adrienne thought and that probably had something to do with Teyla. Leading the way, Teyla held on to the remaining portion of the wall, stepping slowly, and Adrienne followed, carefully tiptoeing over smoking rubble.
The light grew brighter and Adrienne could see where the rescue team had set up a series of lights to illuminate the entire cave area, lights so bright that she was unable to make out faces, just bodies. She was searching all around her for ...
"Looking for me?" Daniel spoke from behind her.
"Don't you wish," Adrienne teased, "I'm looking for something to eat," she tried to cover the excitement she knew was on her face, because what she wanted to do was throw her arms around him and plant her lips onto his. Turning to face him, she saw that his hands were heavily bandaged, her eyes widening in panic.
"Cher what happened?" Adrienne slipped, grabbing his hands, turning them in her own, trying to examine them but he pulled his hand away, shaking his head.
"Nothing, I was trying to get the rocks moved and, well, you know, I'm accident prone," he tried to joke. Adrienne cut her eyes, not believing him, knowing exactly what he had done to himself trying to get her out.
You've just turned my world upside down, haven't you Daniel, she thought to herself, leaning forward to whisper in his ear.
"Dr. Rowan," Dr. Lam came up behind her before Adrienne could say anything, "Let's see what you've managed to do to yourself this time," she pointed in the direction of a small portable she had set up on a flat part of the meadow. Adrienne looked back at Daniel and sighed as Dr. Lam walked away toward her med station.
"Go see what Dr. Grumpypants wants," he joked and Adrienne laughed.
"It's hysterical to hear even you call her that now," she answered and walked over to the doctor, reluctantly, smiling back over her shoulder at Daniel who was being led over to another table by Vala, a scolding looking of her own in her face and a small purple gadget in her hands. Teyla was being checked out by Jennifer Keller when Adrienne arrived, that pleasant smile still entrenched across her face.
"Teyla, you're lucky, not a scratch. I think you can go!" Jennifer said enthusiastically as Dr. Lam looked Adrienne over, but Teyla didn't leave, she just stood and waited for the doctor to conclude.
"Just the cut on your finger, but you're fine. It's a miracle," Dr. Lam reported to Adrienne, sarcasm dripping from her voice.
Thankful to have avoided another lecture, even though this clearly wasn't her fault, Adrienne shrugged and stood, thanking her politely. This time, Teyla seemed ready to leave.
"We are alright. Everyone is alright. Thank the gods," Teyla said.
"I know, usually someone is taken away on a stretcher, so I think we lucked out," Adrienne responded, looking ahead for Daniel.
"Yes, we were lucky this time. But next time, or the next. We never know. That is why you must cherish what you have as long as you have it," Teyla advised, one final suggestion, placing her hand on Adrienne's shoulder before walking away.
"What was that all about?" and again Daniel was behind her.
"Seriously, we are changing your nickname. No more Indy. It is officially Eric," she turned around to face him.
"Why?" he laughed, "Does he have to get Pam out of trouble? Because I seem to get you out of a lot of trouble."
"No," she laughed, "but he's always popping up behind Sookie and scaring the bejeezus out of her."
"Sookie huh?" he teased, looking behind them to see if they had any unwelcome visitors.
"Yes Sookie. She got pretty badass at the end of Season 3 and into 4," Adrienne played, noticing that his hands were no longer bandaged, "What happened to your little accident?"
"I guess that makes Vala Pam, getting Eric out of trouble and driving Sookie crazy. Snatched up Carolyn's hand device and used some left over Quetesh to patch me up," he explained, holding up his palms and waving them. Pleased, Adrienne smiled, reaching for his hands, taking them in her own and disregarding the crowd around them.
"Indy, can we go back? I'm hungry and I just wanna crawl into bed," Adrienne requested softly, hoping no one would hear.
"You hungry? So what else is new?" Daniel joked and swept his hands in front of himself dramatically in the direction of the gate, peering over his shoulder behind them before drawing himself closer.
"Vala knows," he whispered and she stopped, gazing up into his eyes.
"What!?" "How!?" she hissed.
Daniel grimaced.
"I'm a terrible liar."
Adrienne paused, looking down.
"And I think Cam suspects…"
Adrienne didn't answer.
"Please don't be angry with me," he requested, "I'm just not any good at lying to my friends."
He stood thinking, about what Cam had said, about what he had done. The colonel had a point, he had acted rashly, but he wasn't quite sure if that would change one way or the other, whether or not he and Adrienne were together.
She reached gently for his hand, squeezing his fingers.
"It's ok," she whispered softly, "Jack and Sam are working on it, right? So we'll just have to trust them."
Sam stood behind Radek's shoulder as the message opened. It was in at least 5 languages, maybe more, heavily coded. She sighed, reaching for her cell phone to call Daniel, who she had heard from Cameron practically had a nervous breakdown over Adrienne.
Jack needed to figure out something and fast. Maybe if they were no longer covering for the couple things like keeping one calm while the other was in trouble could be openly discussed.
She pulled up his contact info when she felt a presence to her left, peering over before typing to see Vala standing there smiling.
"I can take a look at it," she volunteered, "Dating one nerd and hanging out a lot with another has helped me developed a set of skills…"
"Thank, but I need him, well, them, maybe on this…" she started to tap when Vala grabbed her hand gently.
"Can it wait?"
"No," Sam said with a sigh, shaking her head and pausing when she caught a look on Vala's face.
"You know?" the general added.
Vala nodded.
Sam rubbed her face, looking over at the clock to note it was half past midnight. Yet again, it was going to be another night that never ended, another night of no sleep.
"Fine," she relented, "Meeting in the lab at one, I can't do any later. That should give everyone time to be cleared by Carolyn and caffeinated. Radek, can you get working on copies and our own encoding, limit clearance to SG-1 and Atlantis senior staff."
"Yes ma'am," he agreed, getting to work immediately.
They lay in her bed, kissing passionately when Daniel's phone buzzed on her nightstand, making Adrienne break away.
"Ignore it," he requested, pulling her back into his arms. She laughed at his lips, but he wouldn't let her go.
"What if it's work?"
He shook his head, crawling on top of her to pin her down as she laughed, "It's always work. I'll move when I hear sirens."
"You're heavy cooyon," she laughed, shoving him, but he didn't move, just chuckled and stayed where he was.
"You're not moving shug are you?"
He shook his head in her collarbone.
"Daniel," she sighed out, pushing his shoulders up, "You're not acting like yourself. What's going on?"
He grumbled, rolling off of her, letting his head flop back on the pillow.
"Indy…"
"I freaked out back there," he admitted what she already knew.
"I figured."
"And I'm not in the mood to discuss with Sam or Jack how I need to behave when it comes to you given their own history of poor choices."
"Ouch," Adrienne tried to joke, rolling over and laying her head on his chest.
He wrapped his arms around her and sighed.
"You're gonna check it," she said with a light laugh, "Aren't you?"
Daniel laughed under her.
"Just check the damn thing and let me know if I need to start brewing the coffee."
He reached over to her nightstand, grabbing his phone and holding it above her.
It was Sam.
Senior Leadership, Lab, 0100
"Well, at least one of us gets to sleep," he said aloud, Adrienne rolling to see what he was reading when another message came through.
Oh, and promotion went through, so that means Addy too
"That's a helluva way to find that out," she joked as Daniel kissed her head.
"Congrats."
There was another beep, a third message, Daniel noting this one was from Vala.
"I'm going to regret my inability to lie well pretty damn soon," he noted, opening the message as Adrienne peered up, reading as well.
I bought you two until 1. You're welcome.
"Huh," he said, as Adrienne laughed.
"Wonders never cease," she joked, sitting up and tossing her legs over the edge of the bed.
"She did threaten me," he added, sitting as well, "I forgot to mention that. If I hurt you."
Adrienne laughed, as she started to make her way over to the dresser to find BDUs when she paused.
"I have no clean laundry," she sighed out, her head hitting the dresser, "We've being going so hard that I haven't had time to do anything."
"Just wear what you're wearing," he said, standing, looking down at what he was wearing, "I don't either."
Adrienne laughed, remembered how he had arrived at her room this evening after a quick shower, in Ninja Turtle pajama pants.
"You have to change," she laughed, "Not sure if anything screams Addy and I are together more than your wearing 1980s cartoon character pajamas."
"Shockingly comfortable 1980s cartoon character pajamas," he noted as she shook her head, lazily stepping into her open combat books. Not bothering to tie them, she walked over, tossing her arms onto his shoulders and kissing him lightly.
"You change," she ordered, "I'll fire up the coffee and maybe grab the group some vittles."
"You're not my assistant anymore…"
"Nope," she said, kissing him lightly again, "This is just good 'ole Southern raisin'."
She started to pull away when she paused, thinking back to some of her worries earlier in the day. He must have felt a tenseness in her body, and he reached out for her arm, rubbing her bicep gently.
"What?"
"I don't want my own lab," she stated calmly, "I understand that I'm now an archaeological associate but I do retain my membership to SG-1, so, therefore I think I should continue to work with the head of archaeology and one of the leaders of my team, in our shared space."
He smiled in the darkness.
"I can make that happen."
Adrienne, however, didn't move.
"Is there something else Ad?" he asked, and she breathed in deeply.
"I wanna try."
"Huh?" he asked confused. Adrienne took a breath, reaching forward for the waistband of his pajamas.
"I...want...to...try…" she restated, slowly, running her fingers lightly across his lower abdomen.
"Oh," he said surprised, "Now?"
She laughed, "No not now, just, in general."
"Ad," he whispered, reaching to take her hands into his own, "I don't need…"
"I know," she replied, squeezing his hands, "but I do. And I want to try."
He pulled her to him, kissing her forehead lightly.
"Ok," he answered softly, "We can."
She took another deep breath, starting to walk away but instead reached for his face, bringing him into a long sensual kiss. He reciprocated, but let her lead, feeling her hands begin to wander when he laughed, pushing her back slightly.
"I thought you said not now."
"I'm having second thoughts."
"I don't wanna rush this…" he added and Adrienne laughed lightly.
"Good point," she said as she sighed out, stepping away, "I have coffee to brew anyways." She started to walk away when she felt a hand reach for own.
"I love you, you know," he added, and she nodded.
"I do," she answered, squeezing his hand, "Now go change before we get caught."
Daniel laughed, walking away, "Promoted for less than five minutes and now giving me orders. I see how this goes."
Daniel stood at the whiteboard, the information from the drive projected there thanks to Radek's modifying and copying.
"It's gibberish," Rodney stated, his tone not nearly as nice as hours earlier, "They're partial coordinates, incomplete item lists, it makes no sense."
"For once," Daniel stated, too late in the evening to temper his words, "I have to agree with Rodney. This list is incomplete, at best."
"Daniel, if you and Adrienne can read the coordinates, or anyone else here in this room, I am thinking that we start plotting those, and use them to create a pathway," Sam explained, Jack nodding in agreement.
"We use it to track him," Jack added, "Create our own layout of where he's been."
"We've already got some intelligence," Vala noted, "We just need to combine efforts."
"And we need to keep this quiet," Sam continued, "I can work around the IOA but right now, with what's going on in the world…"
Her teammates and friends shook their heads, understanding.
"We code our map," Sam ordered, "I'm looking at you all to use something clever, but we code the map and add this to our own intelligence."
"Use March Madness," Cam suggested, "It's coming up and we can make the map look like a map with brackets. No one will know the difference."
"What's March Madness?" Daniel asked, confused.
"Can someone explain to Daniel and probably Dr. Perky how sports work?" Jack noted, Adrienne shaking her head.
"Alright, then Daniel, Addy, please get on making sense of this and Cam, can you get a group to begin triangulating and coding the data," Sam continued. In agreement the group stood, some conversation amongst them coupled with a number of yawns.
All but Vala, who hung back, smiling.
"Goodnight Vala," Daniel shouted as he trudged to the coffee maker, planning on brewing himself and Adrienne another pot.
"Goodnight you two," she said with a smile, "Make sure you shut off the cameras!"
She laughed, sauntering out of the lab.
"Given the source," Adrienne noted, "That was mild."
Daniel shook his head, "For now."
I gotta talk to Jack, he thought as he hit brew on their machine, otherwise this is gonna blow up in our faces, and fast.
He stood back and waited, preparing them for yet again another long night.