Author's Notes: Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing with the little knowledge I rambled off to her. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and encouraged me to write more.

For anyone who's interested (which is probably no one) I haven't changed the timeline to Stargate at all with the exception of Ari being born. The events from Secrets to Maternal Instinct have been squashed to seven months.

As for Forever Knight I like to pretend Season Three didn't exist as I thought Schanke was the best.

Hope you like this bit.

Daniel sat in the middle of the bedroom floor taking a few deep breaths. Ari was in her chair watching him, every so often banging her rattle off it. He was trying to master the abilities Oma had either given or released within him. He'd accidentally thrown a knife at Nick two days ago when Nick had arrived home early causing his 'brother' to tell him to learn to control them.

Very gently he reached out his mind to try and move the stuffed pink rabbit that sat in front of him, the rabbit Janet had given Ari when they'd first arrived home with her.

"Careful," he murmured to himself before having to duck to avoid it as it flew towards him.

Ari giggled waving her hands at him.

"I'm glad I'm amusing you," Daniel told her, "But this is important."

Taking in another breath he turned his attention to the line of stuffed toys sitting across from him.

"Next."

A few hours later Daniel had managed to move the toy from the middle of the floor to him without it shooting past and hitting the wall. Ari decided she was bored now and started to grumble. As he walked over to her, she reached out her arms to him giggling as he picked her up and swung her around.

x

Nick stood watching his 'brother' and 'niece' play.

Daniel's depression had lifted thankfully, mostly due to his daughter's presence. They'd been here almost three months now with Nick working every night in Toronto before coming back here before the sun rose. Daniel had told him repeatedly that Nick didn't need to stay with them now but Nick had insisted he was staying. He wasn't sure why but something told him to stay with the younger man. Daniel's abilities were unusual to say the least and keeping them under wraps were something Nick knew he had to do.

"Daniel," he called, interrupting them, "I'm away."

"Could you drop this off," Daniel said, handing him the latest of his letters to his friends.

Nick nodded, he knew he shouldn't but the fact Daniel could let his friends know both he and his daughter were safe was the one thing that kept Daniel from slipping into his melancholy again.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Nick said, kissing Ari's forehead softly.

Dear Jack,

Thought you'd like to know we're okay.

I'm teaching at a school of all places, annoying someone else with my lectures. I hope you guys are all well. Ari is walking around in a baby walker now getting into everything she can, causing no end of trouble. The whole place I'm staying has had everything moved high up to stop her getting at them. I've sent a few pictures to show you how wonderful she's becoming. She's so big and she looks so much like her mother.

Take care out there and tell the others I said hi,

Daniel.

Jack read Daniel's letter smiling at the pictures he'd sent. She really was a lovely child but the picture he liked the best was the one of both of them. Daniel was actually smiling as he played with Ari, a smile like that had been rare since Sha're had been taken.

Jack sighed as he looked at the pictures again, Sam was still really mad at him after he called off the search for Daniel.

"We can't just give up," she'd had cried furiously.

"Carter," Jack turned on her, "He doesn't want to be found. He'll come back when he's ready."

"But sir…"

"Carter, leave him," Jack told her, "If we go after him he'll run again and the next time he won't keep in touch. Leave him."

She had marched away angrily and they hadn't spoken about it again.

x

"Hello Colonel, what can I do for you?" Janet asked when Jack appeared in the infirmary.

"I thought you'd like to see the pictures Daniel sent," Jack smiled handing her the envelope.

Janet smiled as she flipped through the pictures of Daniel and his daughter, "This is a great one," she held out Jack's favourite.

"Want a copy?"

"Yes," Janet smiled, "Cassie would love that."

"Tell her I will definitely be taking her to the hockey game," Jack told her.

"General Hammond's not found a replacement for Daniel yet then?" Janet asked.

"Nope," Jack sighed, "He's hard to replace."

Janet gave him a half smile, "You're not kidding."

"See you later," Jack smiled leaving the infirmary.

It was bizarre after trying to find Daniel he knew leaving his friend alone was the best idea but despite knowing this there was still this strange feeling he couldn't shake.

He shrugged it off, it wasn't important.

x

"Why would he just give up like that?" Sam paced Teal'c's quarters just like she had for the past two months as the Jaffa stood watching her, "I mean he was so desperate to find Daniel and all of a sudden he changed his mind."

"It is very possible he decided to honour the wishes of Daniel Jackson," Teal'c told her.

"Does that sound like the Colonel?" Sam asked, "He would never leave Daniel alone."

Teal'c nodded, "However, we have no leads to find him."

"I know," she stopped pacing and sighed, "I miss him and I'm just confused why he didn't talk to any of us before he made this decision."

"His daughter is the most important person to him," Teal'c reminded her, "He may have felt talking about it would place her in some kind of danger."

Teal'c placed his hand on her shoulder, "We must wait until he comes back to us. He will one day."

"You're right," Sam sighed covering his hand with her own, "We should go see if the General has managed to find someone daft enough to work with us."

"Good morning," Melissa breezed in.

"Morning," Daniel muttered back taking a drink of coffee whilst hooking Ari's baby walker with his foot before she ran too far away.

"Where's Nick?" she asked grabbing herself some coffee.

"Asleep," Daniel replied.

"You do realise your brother is really weird, don't you?" Melissa told him.

"You have no idea," Daniel laughed before leaning down to his daughter, "You be good," he gently kissed her before standing back up.

"Oh before I forget," Melissa said, "I won't be able to work next Friday."

"Problem?"

"Nope," she smiled, "My boyfriend Eddie is coming and he's only here for the weekend so…"

"So you want to spend as much time as you can with him," Daniel said with a soft knowing smile.

"Something like that," Melissa replied, "No problems?"

"No," Daniel told her, "Enjoy your day and I'll see you tonight."

x

Daniel walked through the school halls after his third class freely admitting to himself he was bored. He missed the thrill of discovery, the new things they kept finding, the artefacts, the writings, the aliens, well some of them anyway and most of all his friends in the SGC but whatever Oma had done to him for keeping Ari safe was something he knew Maybourne and his cronies would not leave alone.

Whenever he thought of this he reminded himself of the message his wife had given him in her last moments, to keep the children safe. Oma would look after Shifu, he had to care for their daughter and he would.

They stopped for the summer in a few weeks and Daniel knew he needed something to keep his mind occupied during that time. He'd have to find something where he could take Ari with him.

"Mr Jansson," Adele Sumner, Melissa's mother called as he passed her, "Just the man I was looking for."

"Why?" he asked worriedly.

"Don't worry it's nothing bad," she smiled at him, "We're doing a trip to the museum next week and I need one more to chaperone. I've put your name down."

"I don't get a choice?" he asked.

"No," Adele laughed, "You did mention to Melissa your hobby was archaeology. That means you agreed."

Daniel laughed, "Can I back out?"

"Nope," she smiled at him, "Did Melissa talk to you about next Friday?"

"Yes, she did," Daniel nodded, "It's no problem, my brother will look after Ari."

"He's a little strange," Adele said, "Sleeping all day, up all night."

Daniel shrugged, "Supposedly he can only write at night. I don't question him about it."

"I'll see you later," Adele effectively dismissed him.

Daniel smiled and headed into the teachers lounge for his free period.

x

Melissa sat cross-legged on the floor holding Ari as she bounced giggling away. She found it amazing how contented this little girl was and so full of life. The phone started to ring so Melissa placed Ari to lie on her play mat while she grabbed it.

"Hello?"

"Hi," a woman said, "Is Nick there?"

"Give me a second and I'll see if he's up," Melissa set the phone down and picked up the baby before trotting upstairs and rapping on Nick's bedroom door.

"What?" came the groaned yell.

"Nick, you've got a phone call," she told him.

After a few seconds the door opened and Nick appeared staggering down to answer his call. Melissa smiled to herself following down with Ari in her arms.

x

"What's wrong Nat?" Nick asked watching as Melissa sat playing with Ari again, "That could be a problem. No. Tell him…" he turned trying to make sure Melissa couldn't hear too much of his conversation, "Just tell Schanke not to do anything until we've both checked out the evidence."

Nick could see Melissa watching him, "Hopefully I can get that in the book. Thanks Nat. Bye."

As he hung up the phone he smiled at Melissa, "Next time I should just say I'm not home," he grimaced.

Melissa laughed coming over to him, "Are you going back to sleep?"

"No," Nick sighed, "I'm awake now."

Melissa started picking up some of the toys strewn about the floor as Nick moved to the kitchen to make himself some coffee. He had never actually drank it before now he was managing to drink a small amount much to Natalie's joy but he had discovered he now loved the smell of coffee. As he was about to fill the kettle he saw Ari's bottle starting to float, Nick grabbed it turning to stare at the child sitting on the floor laughing.

"Just what I was after," Melissa said taking the bottle out of his hand and throwing it into the microwave.

"Sure," Nick said moving over to Ari, "Don't do that."

She just laughed at him reaching out to be picked up; Nick obeyed the command kissing her head.

"Not in front of Melissa," he murmured to her, "Won't your Daddy be surprised when I tell him this."

He relinquished the baby to her nanny and watched as Melissa fed her, this was not good.

x

"What do you mean she floated the bottle?" Daniel demanded.

"Like you were floating the toys Ari floated her bottle," Nick told him, "It was lucky I grabbed it before Melissa saw."

"How would we explain that to her," Daniel looked at his daughter, "Looks like this is hereditary."

Ari giggled bouncing in Daniel's arms.

"You can't do that sweetie," Daniel told her, "No you can't. Cause we'd have to move again."

"Da," Ari cried bouncing.

Both men looked at her in surprise.

"Da," she yelled again pleased at having a captive audience.

"She said Da," Daniel cried, "She spoke."

Nick grinned at the look of joy on Daniel's face before frowning as he checked his watch, "I have to go."

"Oh," Daniel pulled out the latest letter, "Take her while I add this."

Nick held Ari playing with her as Daniel added a few lines to the letter. Daniel handed Nick the letter before taking Ari from him.

"See you tomorrow," Daniel smiled before taking Ari to try and get her to say something else.

Nick left with an amused smile.

SG1 were finally going out on a mission tomorrow. Hammond had managed to find someone Jack approved of, especially after the problems they'd had when Robert Rothman was on the team just after Sha're had died.

Jack had then decided to have the other two over for food and movie night with Janet and Cassie.

"Cassie is out with her friends," Janet said, as she and Teal'c appeared on the doorstep, "She'll be here later."

"Come in," Jack stepped back to let them in, "Carter will be here after she's picked up Daniel's mail."

"You've not got that just directed to you?" Janet asked.

"Not had the time," Jack shrugged, moving as the bell rang again, "And that should be Carter."

Sam appeared and handed Jack the bundle of letters in her hand, "We're going to have to let his apartment go."

"Yeah," Jack sighed, "I'll sort that out when we get back from the mission tomorrow."

"Sam," Janet smiled offering her one of the beers in her hand.

"Thanks," Sam smiled sinking into the couch, "Is there food?"

"Ordered," Jack said absently, flipping through Daniel's mail, "Look at this."

"What?" Sam asked.

"It's a letter from a Psychiatric Institution in Oregon."

"What?" Sam and Janet cried in unison.

"Are you sure you should be reading that?" Teal'c asked.

"And how is Daniel going to know?" Jack asked, quickly browsing the letter, "Did any of you know Daniel had a grandfather."

"I'm sure he had two," Sam answered.

"I meant alive," Jack frowned, maybe he wasn't the best role model as a superior officer, "According to this Nicholas Ballard, Daniel's grandfather is in this institution and his doctor is asking Daniel to come and see him."

"Nicholas Ballard," Sam mused, "That name is familiar."

"Familiar how?"

"I think I read that name in one of Daniel's books I was flipping through waiting for him one day," Sam frowned.

Jack frowned in thought, "After our mission I'll go see this grandfather, maybe he'll have an idea who Daniel would have went to for help."

"Good idea," Janet nodded, "Until then we may as well watch the movies."

x

Outside Nick sighed; he'd have to tell Daniel about this. Daniel had never mentioned his grandfather to him either. Carefully and quietly he slipped Daniel's latest letter to them under the door before leaving for work.

Schanke was waiting impatiently for him when he made it to the station, "Why are you so late?"

"Family business," Nick told him, "What's up?"

"Captain wants to see us," his partner told him.

Nick sighed and followed on, just now he had to concentrate on his case.

Daniel held Ari close to him as he walked through the halls towards Nick's room. It had been years since his last meeting with his grandfather and that had not gone well. He shuddered remembering Nick shouting after him that he was a disgrace to his parents. Ari was being very quiet snuggled up against him sensing his trepidation about this meeting; his 'brother' was right she could sense his mood and responded to it.

"Daniel," Doctor Edwards greeted him, "It's nice to see you again."

"And you," Daniel replied softly, "Look the last time I saw Nick he threw me out, what makes you think I'll be welcome?"

"Your grandfather misses you a great deal," Edwards told him, "He's always talking about you. Daniel he's an old man and you are the only relative he has, he was always so proud of you."

Daniel bit his lip shifting Ari to a more comfortable position in his arms, "Okay I'll go in and see him."

Daniel stood in front of the door and took in a deep breath; he could do this. Opening the door he walked in to find his grandfather sitting looking out the window.

"Nick," he called.

Nick turned to him and smiled, "Daniel. You came."

"I came," Daniel replied flatly, "Look Nick, the last time we spoke you told me to get lost and never come back. What do you want?"

"To see you Daniel," Nick told him.

"Why?" Daniel snapped, "You said you never wanted to see me again. Why now?"

"I have wanted to see you from that day," Nick told him.

"You have no right to do this to me," Daniel cried, suddenly having to comfort Ari who started to cry.

"Who is this?" Nick asked as if seeing her for the first time.

"This is my daughter Arianna," Daniel introduced her.

"You are married?"

"Yes."

"Where is your wife?" Nick asked curiously.

"She's dead," Daniel replied flatly.

"I am sorry Daniel," Nick told him, "She is a beautiful child."

Daniel smiled softly, "She gets that from her mother. Nick I really can't stay much longer I only came to make sure you weren't ill."

Nick looked at him sadly, "Then you will not be coming back?"

Daniel sighed, "I will come back. It just won't be very regular, I have to care for Ari now."

"Of course Daniel," Nick smiled, "I am sorry Daniel, for all I said to you. I know your parents would always have been proud of you no matter what you did."

Daniel swallowed the lump in his throat, "I'll write Nick. I have to get Ari home."

"Take care of yourself," Nick told him.

x

Jack walked through the halls and found the office of Doctor Edwards who had sent the letter.

"You're here to see Nicholas Ballard?" Edwards said in surprise, "Quite a guest list today."

"What?" Jack asked.

"His grandson is here," Edwards told him.

"What?" Jack snapped, "Where?"

"Nick's room is the third on the left," Edwards told him.

Jack sprinted out of the office and saw Daniel leave Nick's room. He started to walk quickly towards him not wanting to spook Daniel into running. Unfortunately Daniel turned, saw him and ran.

"Daniel," Jack called chasing after him.

x

Daniel saw Jack and ran.

He couldn't talk to him face to face, he couldn't explain to Jack exactly why he'd left.

"Daniel," he heard Jack call to him.

As he ran Daniel turned back and mentally slammed the few doors behind him giving him enough time to strap Ari into her car seat before he jumped into the driver's seat and drove away leaving Jack standing.

"You wanted to see me?" Nick said coming into Natalie's lab.

"Finally Nick," she sighed, "I feel like I have to make an appointment to see you these days."

"What's up?"

"I want to go over the improvement you've made if any," she told him, "We haven't been keeping up with your progress over the past few months."

"I've been busy," Nick shrugged.

"I've noticed," she replied before dropping her clipboard, "Nick why are you doing this. You're moving from place to place every night and for what?"

"I have to help Daniel," Nick told her.

"Why?" she demanded again, "Can't you give me something else other than you have to? Nick, you can't keep flying from here to there every night."

"Nat, I can't explain," he told her, "You have to trust me in this."

She sighed, "Okay, let me do a few tests on you so I can tell how you're doing."

Nick sat down and submitted willingly to her tests.

"Are you still drinking coffee?" she asked him.

"Getting used to it," he told her, "Daniel drinks a ton of the stuff so it's become a part of where I live."

"How much are you drinking?"

Nick shrugged, "About a half a cup…well more like a quarter."

"I suppose that's good," Natalie laughed, "You should turn on LaCroix's show he's nice and cheerful this week."

"I'm trying to avoid all contact with him at the moment," Nick told her with a grimace, "After that strange guilt trip I took a few months ago I really don't want any more guilt from him."

Natalie squeezed his shoulder, "You better get going before I have to listen to Schanke complain at me for monopolising you."

Nick gave her a quick kiss on the cheek; "I'll see you later."

Natalie laughed before going back to work.

x

"And where do you go every day?" LaCroix's voice came over the radio in the car, "Are you retreating to a cave, to a lover or to something else? You do not say."

Nick groaned, how did LaCroix know when he'd be listening?

"Your spirit flies through the night hoping to arrive before dawn," LaCroix continued, "Maybe we will find out soon."

"Why do you listen to that guy?" Schanke demanded, "He puts the creep into creepy."

"You know something," Nick sighed, "I'm not sure why."

Schanke switched it off, "Silence. Are we almost there?"

"Next block," Nick told him as they headed to another murder just around the corner.

Daniel took a drink of his coffee watching Ari in her walker as he waited for Melissa to arrive. He wasn't feeling all that well. That was an understatement, he'd spent most of last night trying not to throw up, he was pretty sure he was getting an ulcer but today was the last day of school and he was looking forward to spending all his time with his daughter so he refused to be sick.

"Sorry I'm late," Melissa arrived dropping her bag on the couch, "Hey sweetie."

As Melissa moved to pick up Ari, Ari suddenly started to cry.

"That's odd," Daniel frowned; he leaned down grimacing at the pain in his side and picked up his daughter. Ari's arms clutched at her father, "It's Melissa honey, what's wrong?"

Ari continued to cry as Daniel tried to comfort her, "Melissa give me a few minutes and I'll see if I can calm her."

Taking her up to the bedroom Daniel lay down holding his baby, "Sh, Ari. What's wrong?"

She whimpered slightly a few fat tears sliding down her cheeks. Daniel moved and picked up one of her bottles turning back he saw Ari holding Sha're's picture. Daniel stared as Ari touched the face of her mother. Daniel picked Ari up and held her close, "Do you think I'm going to leave you baby?"

Ari curled into his shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere," he promised, "Once I get back from school I will be here all summer but I have to go to school. Melissa will be here all day as usual and so will Nick. I know your Mom is gone, I'm just feeling a little unwell but I won't die."

Ari stayed curled against him and after a few minutes she fell asleep. Daniel rested her into her cot before picking up Sha're's picture.

"I don't know how she's doing it," Daniel whispered, "But Ari is more special than I thought."

He placed the picture back where it always sat before heading back downstairs; he was really late now.

"Melissa," Daniel called as he headed back down, "She's sleeping. Try and keep her calm and I'll be home as fast as possible."

"Sure," she nodded as Daniel left quickly.

x

Daniel smiled as he lay spooned up with his wife on the couch, her legs entangled with his. Daniel had one arm wrapped around her waist she held his hand in both of hers, her head was resting on his other arm his hand playing with her curls while they watched the children play.

Shifu and Ari were both running around in their baby walkers pushing a brightly coloured ball about to each other.

"They look so cute together," Daniel murmured in her ear.

"They are twins," Sha're replied, "In a way."

"I suppose," Daniel softly kissed her head.

"They shared my womb for nine months," Sha're reminded him, "They share a mother."

"And they share a father," Daniel told her.

Sha're turned to her husband in surprise, "You accept him that way?"

Daniel smiled and lightly kissed her nose, "Of course I do. We're a family."

"We always shall be," Sha're brushed her hand across his cheek.

"They both look so much like you," Daniel told her leaning into her hand.

"I think Ari has many of your features," Sha're told him, "And Shifu looks like Skaara."

"You're right," Daniel laughed, "I wish we could stay like this forever."

"So do I, my husband," Sha're whispered, "But it is time for you to return."

"Can't we let them play together for a little longer?" he asked.

"We cannot," Sha're sighed cuddling closer to him.

"You're not making this any easier," Daniel told her.

Sha're smiled and gently kissed him her hand sliding across his jaw and into his hair pulling him closer deepening the kiss.

"I have to go," he sighed in annoyance.

"I know," Sha're rested her head against his, "But I am always with you, I am always with Ari and I always love you," very softly she gave him one more kiss, "I am always yours my Dan'iel. Always…"

x

"Daniel."

"Sha're?" Daniel asked at the hazy voice.

"Daniel."

Not Sha're, he managed to reason, "Jack?"

"Guess again," came the voice again.

Forcing his eyes open Daniel sighed, "Nick."

Nick grinned, "Finally, I was wondering when you'd wake up."

"What happened?" he managed to ask trying to move as Nick placed a hand on his shoulder stopping him.

"Your appendix burst," Nick told him, "On the last day of school typically."

"Ari?" Daniel asked worriedly, "Where is she?"

"I left her with Melissa," Nick assured him, "She's fine, I promise."

"Good," Daniel sighed, before a strange realisation settled on him, "She knew."

"Knew what?"

"Ari knew I was ill," Daniel explained, "That's why she was so upset this morning."

"Daniel," Nick hesitated, "I have to leave for a few nights."

"What's wrong?"

"It's this case I'm on," Nick explained, "It involves what seems like one of LaCroix's acolytes."

"LaCroix is your…Master?" Daniel asked.

"I prefer the term Father," Nick smiled, "But you're right. This 'sister' of mine is killing people, I have to stop her."

"Okay," Daniel nodded.

"Melissa will bring Ari to see you tomorrow and she's looking after her till I get back," Nick explained, "You're going to be in here for a while Daniel so don't worry about her."

"What did you tell Melissa about you leaving?" Daniel asked.

"Just that a friend of mine needs my help," Nick explained, "Make up whatever you need to and I'll agree to it."

"When are you going?" Daniel asked as his eyes started to close.

"In a couple of minutes," Nick told him, "First of all I'm going to get the doctor to check you."

"Sure," Daniel sighed starting to go back to sleep as Nick left the room.

Nick stood over the body of the woman LaCroix had turned only thirty years before. He could feel his father's eyes boring into him.

"Another of our kind killed by you," LaCroix said to him.

"She was murdering people and not just to feed," Nick replied coldly.

"That's what we do," his father snarled at him, "We are above these mortals and you used to believe that."

"I learned my lesson," Nick told him, "And I've told you before I won't let people be killed."

"You are not one of them," LaCroix reminded him, "You are one of us."

"Not through choice," Nick shot back.

LaCroix looked up, "The sun shall dispose of this. You however have no time to return to wherever you've been going."

Nick stared at him, "What do you mean?"

"Nicholas every day you return somewhere out of the city," LaCroix smiled amused, "Janette refuses to tell me exactly where."

"Leave it alone," Nick told him, "I've told you not to interfere in my life."

"Could this have something to do with the child she was so enamoured by?"

"Listen to me LaCroix," Nick said, "Stay out of this. This is something I have to do and I am no longer bound to you. Stay out of it."

LaCroix smiled, "Are you worried for their safety if I find out?"

"No," Nick sighed, "I'm more worried about yours."

Seeing the sun was about to rise Nick took one more look at the body before leaving.