TITLE: The Sought Ones
SEQUEL TO: The Lost Ones
AUTHOR: Cyn(di)
EMAIL: custardpringle@yahoo.com
RATING: PG-13. Language, thematic issues, sexual references, angst.
CATEGORY: supernatural, drama, romance, angst
SUMMARY: They were supposed to be gone forever. But "forever" is a very relative thing.
SPOILERS: I'm assuming "Heroes" and "Lost City" never happened, but anything else is fair game.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yay, go me. I've just managed to squeeze about half the plot into this one chapter. Life's just weird that way. Oh well.
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A brief look around showed that the chamber containing the Stargate was relatively barren, containing only the entrance to a corridor leading outside and a token few writings in Goa'uld. These were quickly determined to say nothing more than that the temple's purpose was a mystery. However, the building also included two somewhat larger rooms whose walls were heavily decorated, albeit for the most part also in Goa'uld. After a brief discussion, it was decided that Daniel and Sha're would examine one and Teal'c the other. Sam, Jack, and Charlie remained in the first room in case someone else came in from outside.
Daniel and Sha're had already separated from the group, and Teal'c was on his way out of the room when Charlie, who had worn an expression of total boredom until then, suddenly jumped up from his seat in the corner. "Teal'c, can I come with you?"
Jack looked at him a moment, then shook his head. "Don't think so, kid. Last time I let you out of my sight, you ended up halfway across the galaxy."
Charlie pouted and began to sit back down, dejected, but Sam cut in. "Sir, that might actually be a good idea. This is the room most vulnerable to attack. It would be much safer for Charlie if he were with Teal'c and a little more out of the way."
"You have a point there, Carter." Jack bit his lip, considering. "What do you think T?"
"I am in agreement with Major Carter; I believe Charles would be somewhat safer if he were to accompany me rather than remaining here with you. Further, although the boy does not know Goa'uld, it is possible that he may still be able to help me in some way."
"Okay," Jack conceded reluctantly. "Go ahead, Charlie. But if you get into anything even remotely resembling trouble, I'm not gonna be a happy camper." Charlie nodded eagerly and bounded after Teal'c. Jack stared after him with a sigh.
"He'll be fine, sir," Sam told him confidently. "That room's empty apart from the two of them."
Jack snorted. "You don't know Charlie. He can't seem to stay out of trouble."
Sam grinned. "Like his father, sir?"
"Yeah. Exactly like his father. That's what frightens me."
-----
"That's odd," Daniel muttered, straightening up from reading a (totally useless) set of text near the floor.
At the other end of the room, Sha're looked up from flipping through one of his notebooks. "What is it?"
"I could've sworn I just felt a draft in here," Daniel told her, puzzled. "But that makes no sense. We're underground." He blinked a couple of times in confusion.
On the second blink, he reopened his eyes and discovered a second woman standing in front of him. She was pale, and dark-haired, and wore a long plain black robe.
Daniel smiled grimly; he'd recognized her immediately. "I should've guessed you'd be showing up sometime soon."
"So you should," she agreed, but for once she did not seem focused on insulting him.
Following her wandering gaze, Daniel saw that it settled briefly on Sha're before snapping back to him. Now beginning to be alarmed, he said sharply, "Aurel, what do you want?"
Aurel was paying full attention to him now, at least for the moment. "I need to speak to your daughter," she answered cryptically. "I believe she has something I need."
"My daughter," Daniel repeated, totally nonplussed. "I don't have a daughter . . . Unless—"
He swung around suddenly to stare at his wife, who seemed totally unaware of what was going on. His glance flicked briefly down to her abdomen, and then returned to Aurel, who was smirking slightly.
Daniel's jaw dropped. "Oh," he said, very weakly.
"Exactly," confirmed Aurel, who was quite obviously enjoying herself. "And she is extremely important to me."
Daniel's shock disappeared, swiftly replaced by anger. "She's also extremely important to me."
"I know," Aurel chuckled. "Which is exactly why you're going to let me take what I want—not that you could do anything about it, in any case."
"Explain yourself," Daniel demanded furiously.
"It's complicated," Aurel told him dismissively. "You don't need to know the whole story. All you need to know is that a part of me is contained in your daughter. It is a small part, but it is immensely powerful, and unless I reclaim it, it will kill her."
Daniel shook his head suspiciously. "Why should I believe you?"
"Have I ever lied to you?"
"No," Daniel admitted. "You haven't."
Sha're looked over at him then, and from her horrified gasp it was clear that she was now aware of Aurel's presence. "Dan'yer, what's happening?"
Daniel groaned and tried to find a way to answer. "A lot."
Aurel disappeared, reappearing almost instantly at the other end of the hall and locking eyes with Sha're. Daniel couldn't hear either of them speaking, but he was pretty certain Aurel was repeating the same account she had given him.
As Daniel was walking over to join them, Jack appeared in the doorway. "How's it going everyone?" He did a double take. "Daniel, who is this person? I don't think you've introduced us."
"You're just lucky then," Daniel told him wearily. "That would be Aurel."
"What's she doing here?" Jack asked.
Daniel explained.
"Fun," Jack observed. "Well, congratulations on the pregnancy, anyway."
"Thanks," said Daniel ruefully. "Assuming Aurel is telling the truth, of course."
Jack glanced over at him soberly. "If she wasn't, she wouldn't be here. I'd say, since we can't exactly do anything to stop her from doing whatever the hell she wants, it's probably safest to stay out of her way and hope for the best."
About to answer, Daniel was distracted by the realization that the conversation between Aurel and Sha're appeared to have come to some sort of conclusion. Aurel was looking thoroughly pleased with herself, while Sha're only looked resigned—and terrified.
Even as the two men watched, Aurel placed both her hands carefully on Sha're's stomach. They passed right through the fabric of her shirt, resting ultimately on the bare skin underneath.
Daniel tensed, but found that he was wholly unable to move. *Just in case,* Aurel's voice said in his mind, with a hint of amusement.
There was a brief, silent pause.
Then a nearly blinding silvery light began to grow between the two women, flowing out of Sha're and into Aurel's hands. Aurel was curiously relaxed, her eyes closed, while Sha're's were wide open; she looked totally overwhelmed by whatever was happening.
It only lasted a moment.
Then Aurel disappeared, leaving Sha're standing there on her own, swaying wildly as if she would fall over any second. "Dan'yer—" she whispered faintly, and, abandoning all dignity, burst into tears.
Daniel was at her side in an instant, helping her regain her balance. "Shh, my love," he murmured, burying his face in her hair. "It's all right, Sha're, it's all right."
Which it wasn't, of course, because it never is.
Jack was just beginning to shift uneasily from one foot to the other, wondering whether to join the hug or make a subtle exit and leave them alone, when Teal'c's bellow of "O'Neill!" echoed through the building, leaving no chance for either comfort or subtlety. And there was an unusual, awful tone in the Jaffa's voice—
"Oh, God. Charlie . . ." Jack was out of the room like a shot, leaving Daniel and Sha're to trail behind him.
Once at the other end of the temple, he stopped just as abruptly, petrified in shock at the sight that greeted him.
Teal'c was standing in the center of the room, somehow radiating alarm and bewilderment without any contortion of his facial muscles. And Charlie—well, Charlie was in a small, limp, motionless heap on the corner, unconscious. Sam was crouched on the ground next to the boy, unsuccessfully trying to revive him.
"What happened, Teal'c?" asked Daniel quietly.
"I do not know. Charles informed me that he had discovered something of interest—a secret panel, I believe—but I was otherwise occupied for several seconds afterwards, and by the time I turned to join him he was as you see him now."
Jack had crossed the room and dropped to his knees alongside Sam. "C'mon, kid," he said gently, and then somewhat more forcefully: "Wake up, Charlie."
This finally elicited a response: Charlie stirred slightly and groaned. "Dad?" he asked nearly inaudibly, and his eyes flickered open for a moment before he lapsed back into oblivion.
And in the brief instant Charlie's eyelids were parted, his eyes glowed.
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ANOTHER NOTE: People are still not reviewing, so this is probably the last chapter I'm going to post. For those who did: I appreciate your input. Thanks.
SEQUEL TO: The Lost Ones
AUTHOR: Cyn(di)
EMAIL: custardpringle@yahoo.com
RATING: PG-13. Language, thematic issues, sexual references, angst.
CATEGORY: supernatural, drama, romance, angst
SUMMARY: They were supposed to be gone forever. But "forever" is a very relative thing.
SPOILERS: I'm assuming "Heroes" and "Lost City" never happened, but anything else is fair game.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yay, go me. I've just managed to squeeze about half the plot into this one chapter. Life's just weird that way. Oh well.
-------------------------------------------------
A brief look around showed that the chamber containing the Stargate was relatively barren, containing only the entrance to a corridor leading outside and a token few writings in Goa'uld. These were quickly determined to say nothing more than that the temple's purpose was a mystery. However, the building also included two somewhat larger rooms whose walls were heavily decorated, albeit for the most part also in Goa'uld. After a brief discussion, it was decided that Daniel and Sha're would examine one and Teal'c the other. Sam, Jack, and Charlie remained in the first room in case someone else came in from outside.
Daniel and Sha're had already separated from the group, and Teal'c was on his way out of the room when Charlie, who had worn an expression of total boredom until then, suddenly jumped up from his seat in the corner. "Teal'c, can I come with you?"
Jack looked at him a moment, then shook his head. "Don't think so, kid. Last time I let you out of my sight, you ended up halfway across the galaxy."
Charlie pouted and began to sit back down, dejected, but Sam cut in. "Sir, that might actually be a good idea. This is the room most vulnerable to attack. It would be much safer for Charlie if he were with Teal'c and a little more out of the way."
"You have a point there, Carter." Jack bit his lip, considering. "What do you think T?"
"I am in agreement with Major Carter; I believe Charles would be somewhat safer if he were to accompany me rather than remaining here with you. Further, although the boy does not know Goa'uld, it is possible that he may still be able to help me in some way."
"Okay," Jack conceded reluctantly. "Go ahead, Charlie. But if you get into anything even remotely resembling trouble, I'm not gonna be a happy camper." Charlie nodded eagerly and bounded after Teal'c. Jack stared after him with a sigh.
"He'll be fine, sir," Sam told him confidently. "That room's empty apart from the two of them."
Jack snorted. "You don't know Charlie. He can't seem to stay out of trouble."
Sam grinned. "Like his father, sir?"
"Yeah. Exactly like his father. That's what frightens me."
-----
"That's odd," Daniel muttered, straightening up from reading a (totally useless) set of text near the floor.
At the other end of the room, Sha're looked up from flipping through one of his notebooks. "What is it?"
"I could've sworn I just felt a draft in here," Daniel told her, puzzled. "But that makes no sense. We're underground." He blinked a couple of times in confusion.
On the second blink, he reopened his eyes and discovered a second woman standing in front of him. She was pale, and dark-haired, and wore a long plain black robe.
Daniel smiled grimly; he'd recognized her immediately. "I should've guessed you'd be showing up sometime soon."
"So you should," she agreed, but for once she did not seem focused on insulting him.
Following her wandering gaze, Daniel saw that it settled briefly on Sha're before snapping back to him. Now beginning to be alarmed, he said sharply, "Aurel, what do you want?"
Aurel was paying full attention to him now, at least for the moment. "I need to speak to your daughter," she answered cryptically. "I believe she has something I need."
"My daughter," Daniel repeated, totally nonplussed. "I don't have a daughter . . . Unless—"
He swung around suddenly to stare at his wife, who seemed totally unaware of what was going on. His glance flicked briefly down to her abdomen, and then returned to Aurel, who was smirking slightly.
Daniel's jaw dropped. "Oh," he said, very weakly.
"Exactly," confirmed Aurel, who was quite obviously enjoying herself. "And she is extremely important to me."
Daniel's shock disappeared, swiftly replaced by anger. "She's also extremely important to me."
"I know," Aurel chuckled. "Which is exactly why you're going to let me take what I want—not that you could do anything about it, in any case."
"Explain yourself," Daniel demanded furiously.
"It's complicated," Aurel told him dismissively. "You don't need to know the whole story. All you need to know is that a part of me is contained in your daughter. It is a small part, but it is immensely powerful, and unless I reclaim it, it will kill her."
Daniel shook his head suspiciously. "Why should I believe you?"
"Have I ever lied to you?"
"No," Daniel admitted. "You haven't."
Sha're looked over at him then, and from her horrified gasp it was clear that she was now aware of Aurel's presence. "Dan'yer, what's happening?"
Daniel groaned and tried to find a way to answer. "A lot."
Aurel disappeared, reappearing almost instantly at the other end of the hall and locking eyes with Sha're. Daniel couldn't hear either of them speaking, but he was pretty certain Aurel was repeating the same account she had given him.
As Daniel was walking over to join them, Jack appeared in the doorway. "How's it going everyone?" He did a double take. "Daniel, who is this person? I don't think you've introduced us."
"You're just lucky then," Daniel told him wearily. "That would be Aurel."
"What's she doing here?" Jack asked.
Daniel explained.
"Fun," Jack observed. "Well, congratulations on the pregnancy, anyway."
"Thanks," said Daniel ruefully. "Assuming Aurel is telling the truth, of course."
Jack glanced over at him soberly. "If she wasn't, she wouldn't be here. I'd say, since we can't exactly do anything to stop her from doing whatever the hell she wants, it's probably safest to stay out of her way and hope for the best."
About to answer, Daniel was distracted by the realization that the conversation between Aurel and Sha're appeared to have come to some sort of conclusion. Aurel was looking thoroughly pleased with herself, while Sha're only looked resigned—and terrified.
Even as the two men watched, Aurel placed both her hands carefully on Sha're's stomach. They passed right through the fabric of her shirt, resting ultimately on the bare skin underneath.
Daniel tensed, but found that he was wholly unable to move. *Just in case,* Aurel's voice said in his mind, with a hint of amusement.
There was a brief, silent pause.
Then a nearly blinding silvery light began to grow between the two women, flowing out of Sha're and into Aurel's hands. Aurel was curiously relaxed, her eyes closed, while Sha're's were wide open; she looked totally overwhelmed by whatever was happening.
It only lasted a moment.
Then Aurel disappeared, leaving Sha're standing there on her own, swaying wildly as if she would fall over any second. "Dan'yer—" she whispered faintly, and, abandoning all dignity, burst into tears.
Daniel was at her side in an instant, helping her regain her balance. "Shh, my love," he murmured, burying his face in her hair. "It's all right, Sha're, it's all right."
Which it wasn't, of course, because it never is.
Jack was just beginning to shift uneasily from one foot to the other, wondering whether to join the hug or make a subtle exit and leave them alone, when Teal'c's bellow of "O'Neill!" echoed through the building, leaving no chance for either comfort or subtlety. And there was an unusual, awful tone in the Jaffa's voice—
"Oh, God. Charlie . . ." Jack was out of the room like a shot, leaving Daniel and Sha're to trail behind him.
Once at the other end of the temple, he stopped just as abruptly, petrified in shock at the sight that greeted him.
Teal'c was standing in the center of the room, somehow radiating alarm and bewilderment without any contortion of his facial muscles. And Charlie—well, Charlie was in a small, limp, motionless heap on the corner, unconscious. Sam was crouched on the ground next to the boy, unsuccessfully trying to revive him.
"What happened, Teal'c?" asked Daniel quietly.
"I do not know. Charles informed me that he had discovered something of interest—a secret panel, I believe—but I was otherwise occupied for several seconds afterwards, and by the time I turned to join him he was as you see him now."
Jack had crossed the room and dropped to his knees alongside Sam. "C'mon, kid," he said gently, and then somewhat more forcefully: "Wake up, Charlie."
This finally elicited a response: Charlie stirred slightly and groaned. "Dad?" he asked nearly inaudibly, and his eyes flickered open for a moment before he lapsed back into oblivion.
And in the brief instant Charlie's eyelids were parted, his eyes glowed.
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ANOTHER NOTE: People are still not reviewing, so this is probably the last chapter I'm going to post. For those who did: I appreciate your input. Thanks.