Chapter Three

Two hours later, Vala woke up with a sharp gasp, jerking slightly as she did. Her eyes immediately flew to Alora, gazing at her with a puzzled expression.

"What's wrong?" Daniel asked, having heard her, and when she didn't answer or acknowledge him, he tried again, "Vala, what's wrong? You okay?"

"Chulak," she said, dazed.

"What?" he asked, brows furrowing.

Vala spared Daniel a glance before focusing back on the baby. "I think we're going to Chulak."

He moved from his position from across from her to next to her. "Why?" he asked warily.

"I think Alora told me," she responded, still slightly dazed.

"I repeat, why?" he asked, "Why would you think that?"

Vala finally looked at him. "Because it's viewed as the first true sign of rebellion in this galaxy," she answered, "It was Teal'c of Chulak's decision to turn against his god and it started the downfall of the Goa'uld. Turning against his god, Teal'c, along with the Tau'ri, were truly the first people to openly oppose the gods of this galaxy. Chulak is where it began and is seen as a symbol of rebellion, thus needing to be eliminated…at least I think that's what she's trying to tell me."

"She?" Daniel asked incredulously, "Alora? Alora is telling you this?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Vala frowned, "It's not like actual words, just…pictures and flashes of things."

Daniel focused on Alora, who was wide awake. He ran his hand over her small head, thinking and trying to figure out whether or not the child had somehow told Vala this. Vala's explanation made sense, he didn't have a problem with that, it was more how the information came to her. If Alora had indeed given her mother this information, they may have a problem. Having healing abilities was one thing, but an infant having information like that in her head meant something much more worrisome.

"Daniel, what is it?" Vala broke through his thoughts, "Something's wrong," she stated.

His eyes shifted to her. "I don't think Alora was just meant to be the face of Origin," he started cautiously, "I think she was meant to be the Ori in human form, crammed with as much information of them as her human form could handle. It's probably why the Priors need her so badly."

Vala closed her eyes in dread. "Why?"

"I'm no doctor or scientist, but I think, in order for her to keep all their information, Alora would have to grow as the information came or unwound inside her," he tried to explain.

"And if she didn't?" Vala asked anxiously.

"Again, not my area of expertise," he warned, "but I think if she didn't grow with the information, her brain wouldn't be able to maintain all of it, and she would lose it entirely, but I can't be sure."

"So she would lose their knowledge?" Vala clarified.

"Theoretically, yes."

She focused back on the infant. "That doesn't seem so bad," she commented, "she'd just be a baby at that point, right?"

"I think so," he gently grabbed her chin and brought it to look at him, "None of this is for certain, okay? I could be spouting off nonsense so don't take it at face value."

"I know, but that doesn't mean I can't hope you're right," she told him and he let go of her chin. Looking down, she asked quietly, "Do you think it's hurting her? I mean, if you are right, do you think the knowledge is hurting her?"

Daniel studied the baby, smiling when Alora grabbed his finger and cooed. "I think she's fine," he said softly. "She would show some sign of discomfort."

Vala snorted at his besotted look. "She has you completely captivated," she teased.

"Babies usually tend to have that effect on people," he said, not ashamed or embarrassed in the least. "She's going to have everyone wrapped around her little finger within seconds of meeting her."

She stared at him for a little longer before asking, "Would you like to hold her?" he had only held her for a few minutes a few hours ago while she changed. When she sat back down next to them, Daniel had transferred the baby back into Vala's arms and taken a seat across from them so he could see the door.

"Yeah, I would actually," he said, taking off the breastplate piece of the Ori armor and set the stun weapon from his wrist between the two adults before accepting the infant. "Hey Alora," he whispered to the girl.

Vala's heart melted as she watched the two together and it was then she knew if she didn't find a way off this ship and away from Daniel, she would be in big trouble. She had thought of him quite often while in the Ori galaxy, despite her marriage to another man. Daniel was a sly one, slowly sneaking his way into her heart, whether he meant to or not and him being so affectionate with her daughter didn't help matters, especially given Alroa's conception. Too bad he couldn't stand her. He would make a great father and maybe someday, he would, just not to her child.

"What's with the look?" Daniel asked, breaking her out of her thoughts.

Vala shrugged, playing it off as nothing. "What? I'm not allowed to look lovingly at my child?"

Daniel eyed her suspiciously. "Yeah, there's more to it than that," he stated confidently, "Tell me," he demanded softly.

She hesitated for a moment. "I was thinking that you would make an amazing father," she confessed and quickly tacked on, "I don't mean to Alora! I just meant in general."

A sad, wistful look passed over his face and he looked down at the newborn. "I always wanted kids," he confessed meekly, "it just wasn't in the cards."

"Daniel," she said gently, causing him to lift his head, "you still can. It's not like you're old and decrepit."

Daniel huffed a chuckle. "Well, thanks for that," he quipped before getting serious, "But that's not what I meant. I don't think I can have kids."

Vala frowned. "Why would you think that?"

Daniel looked away again and didn't answer for a few moments, wondering if he should. "My wife and I never did anything to prevent children, yet we never once conceived."

"You're married?" she blurted out instantly and closed her eyes in shame. "Daniel, I am so sorry. If I'd known you were married, I would've never made any of those inappropriate advances towards you," she implored him to believe her.

Daniel's head whipped to look at her and he started intensely at her, trying to figure out if she actually meant that. "Was," he corrected quietly, "Was married. She died six years ago, but she was taken by Apophis roughly nine years ago."

"Apophis?" Vala repeated and then gasped, "Amaunet, his queen."

"Yeah," he confirmed quietly.

"The harcesis," she started cautiously, "the boy actually existed?"

"Yeah," he glanced back at the baby, "He was actually the last baby I delivered."

"Daniel, I am so sorry," she told him sincerely and she was,

"It was a long time ago," he said and though it was true, sometimes, the pain felt like it happened yesterday, "Anyway, Sha're, my wife, was able to have a baby with him so obviously the problem lies with me."

Vala scoffed softly. "And here I thought you were a smart man."

"Excuse me?" he asked, offended.

"If Apophis wanted a child, nothing would've stopped him," she started to explain, "The problem could've easily been your wife. The symbiote would've been able to heal whatever was wrong reproductively, thus making it possible to have a child. It was probably her, not you."

Daniel couldn't believe he hadn't realized that sooner, that he had never come to the same conclusion. "Yeah, well, it doesn't matter now," he said, looking away, "That part of my life is over and that's okay."

Vala put her hands on his face and forced him to look at her. She smiled sadly at him. "You know, I never noticed it until now."

"Noticed what?"

"What sorrow you've known," she replied carefully, "but don't let that stop you from finding happiness, Daniel. You deserve to be happy, especially after everything you have sacrificed for this galaxy. You deserve to love someone and be loved in return. Promise me you won't give up. She's out there, I just know it…or he."

Daniel snorted and smiled softly at her. "She," he told her.

"She then. She's out there, Daniel. Don't give up," she implored him.

This was so uncharacteristic of Vala Mal Doran that he had to take a step back, mentally that is. He was beginning to think that he was seeing the real Vala Mal Doran, not the persona she projected and hid behind on a daily basis. He half expected her to make a crack about how she was that one person for him. What baffled him was that he wouldn't mind it being her. She, Vala Mal Doran, probably one of the most untrustworthy women he'd ever met and yet, he was drawn to her for some unknown reason. But when she was real like this, he could see it. They both had suffered in life, each in their own way. They both had known pain and heartache and, in those regards, they weren't that different.

"Maybe she is," he mumbled, quickly looking away so she wouldn't sense his inner thoughts.

Without warning, his mind conjured up their first day in the Ori galaxy, specifically the part where she was about to be burned alive and he fought against the men holding him back. It switched to him holding her after the fire was put out and how tenderly he held her during that moment and when she had been revived. The memories went as quick as they came but there was something off with them. The way they played in his mind wasn't the way he remembered it – it was as if a third perspective was showing him, and he was convinced he didn't randomly summon those memories.

Daniel glanced down at Alora, who was still wide awake, her eyes trained on his face. He couldn't tell if she was fully aware of what was going on or not. He hadn't the faintest clue if her mind was one of an infant or much more mature due to the possible Ori knowledge within her, but he swore she was responsible for those memories. Only question was, why? Why remind him of that? "What're you trying to tell me, sweetheart?" he murmured to the newborn.

"What was that?" Vala asked, leaning forward.

"Hmm?" his eyes went back to Vala, "Oh, nothing. I was talking to Alora."

"About what?"

His eyes flitted back to Alora. "I think she's trying to tell me something."

Vala frowned. "You mean like she did with me and Chulak?" she questioned and received a small nod, "Well, what was she trying to say? What did you see?"

He thought back to that day and played events as he remembered. They were essentially the same as he remembered, with the exception that he got to see himself from the outside and his reactions. He tried to remember what he felt that day and the feelings hit him all at once. Horror, helplessness, regret, sorrow, anger, and that was just to name a few. He remembered feeling like he failed her like he had failed Sha're. When Vala had been revived by Prior, the relief had almost overwhelmed him, but had there been something more? Another emotion he never allowed himself to admit was there.

His mind played the image of him holding Vala again, or rather, Alora showed him again, and he saw something on his face – something he hadn't seen or felt within himself in years. Daniel was starting to believe that Vala was right and Alora possessed some ability to share stuff with them – and right now, she was trying to tell him something.

"I don't know," he admitted softly, not looking away from the baby, "but I get the feeling I will sooner or later."

o0o

Author's Note: Yes, I gave the baby superpowers. Adria had been able to manipulate Vala's mind in The Quest episode so she can here as well!

Thoughts?