Chapter 15

Daniel tried to be covert in taking Chloe away from Janet, but it didn't work. As soon as he leaned down to scoop the baby out of her arms, Janet woke up.

"Sorry," he said, standing up straight again as Janet's hold on Chloe tightened. "I didn't mean to wake you."

Janet yawned and smiled. "That's okay," she said. "I didn't realize I'd dozed off. Did you want something?"

"I was just going to put Chloe back in her crib so she didn't disturb you, but it doesn't matter now." He knelt down beside the chair and kissed Chloe's downy head. "Her fever's gone," he said, stroking her cheek with the back of his finger.

Janet pressed a hand to Chloe's forehead and nodded. "So it is," she said. "What a relief." She sighed and kissed Chloe's face, and then looked over at Daniel. "Daniel, listen... about earlier..."

Daniel held up a hand to silence her. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I understand your position in all of this, believe me. I was just... frustrated that we couldn't find a better way to help Chloe."

Janet gave him a sympathetic smile. "How's Ben doing?" she asked, trying to see him over her shoulder.

"They've got him on something to help his immune system, and so far he seems to be responding well to it," Daniel replied. "Warner said the next few hours should tell, but he seems to be pretty much out of the woods now."

"That's great. Maybe all he needed was the proper care and medicine after all."

"Maybe."

He gave Chloe another kiss as they fell silent, and she sighed in her sleep. Daniel smiled and looked up at Janet. He could tell when their eyes met that they were thinking the same thing - they finally had their beautiful, healthy baby back.

They maintained the eye contact for a long moment, something they hadn't done for what seemed a very long time. It was amazing how much stronger Daniel started to feel with each passing second because of that simple connection. In an instant, he'd forgotten why there had been so much tension between them for so long.

Soon Janet reached out her free hand and stroked the side of his face. When she threaded her fingers through his hair, he closed his eyes and leaned into her palm, soaking up the sensations like a sponge. It felt like years since they'd been relaxed enough to share any kind of loving, intimate contact, and he wanted to make it last as long as possible.

He opened his eyes just in time to see Janet leaning towards him, and closed them again as she gently kissed his lips. The world seemed to stop for a moment, just as it had the first time they'd ever kissed. That was a feeling he knew would never get old.

She ended the kiss much too soon, but leaned her forehead against his as he cupped her face in his hand. "I love you," she whispered.

Daniel smiled. "I love you, too," he said. He stroked her cheek as she massaged his scalp. "We're okay," he said, finally feeling that the words were true.

Just then, Chloe squirmed in Janet's lap and gave a long, soft groan as protest to finding herself in such a cramped position. Daniel and Janet laughed as Janet sat back and lifted the baby to her shoulder.

"Sorry, sweetie," Janet crooned. "Mommy didn't mean to squish you like that."

Daniel gave Janet's leg a gentle squeeze and then rose to his feet as she began to rock the baby back to sleep. He could have stood there and watched the domestic sight all day, but Cassie chose that moment to return from getting breakfast in the commissary.

"Hey, you're awake," she said when she saw Janet. She hurried over to give her a quick kiss on the cheek and say hi to Chloe. "She looks okay," she said, taking one of Chloe's tiny hands in hers. "Does that mean it really worked?"

Janet smiled and nodded. "We're hoping so."

Daniel decided he should give Janet and Cassie a few moments alone, so he nodded to Cassie in acknowledgment and went back to check on Ben.

The boy was still asleep, and IV fluids were pouring into his body through various needles in his skin. Daniel knew that medically speaking his condition was improving, but the sight of him wasn't exactly encouraging.

"Hang in there, little guy," he murmured. It just wouldn't be fair if he lost his battle now.

Barely a minute passed before Daniel heard a flurry of footsteps out in the corridor, and he turned to see General Hammond and a handful of airmen entering the room.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Dr. Jackson, I'm afraid there's a problem," Hammond said in his most business-like tone. "The NID have received word of Syun's presence here and the medical technology at his disposal, and they have insisted they be allowed to 'interview' him."

"Interview?" Daniel scoffed. "You mean interrogate and study."

General Hammond nodded. "For that reason, I think it's best that we send him back to his own world as quickly as possible. I estimate they'll be here within the hour."

"Wait!" Janet said, standing up and handing Chloe to Cassie so she could join Daniel and Hammond. "What if something goes wrong and we need him to put it right? It's only been a few hours..."

"I realize this is going to be an inconvenience, Doctor," Hammond said sternly, "but there's no other way around it. If the NID get their hands on him, he'll be gone soon anyway. Now, I've requested he be brought here to check on the children one more time, and then he will be escorted to the gateroom. If you wish to ask him any questions when he gets here, please do so as quickly as you can."

"Yes, Sir," Janet said, though she didn't seem very happy about it.

Daniel draped his arm around her shoulders and drew her close to his side. He had to admit, he felt better knowing Syun was close at hand if Chloe suddenly started getting worse again, but he knew General Hammond was doing the right thing. As much as he hated what had been done to him and to Ben, he wouldn't want Syun to be a lab rat for the NID. No one deserved that.

A few seconds later, Syun was escorted into the room by Jack, Teal'c, Sam, and a couple of SF's. Cassie came up behind Janet and handed her the baby so she could scoot across the room out of the way. Daniel didn't blame her for not wanting to get close to Syun. He didn't look like a happy camper.

"See... baby?" he said.

Janet stepped towards him with Chloe half asleep in her arms, but Syun only looked at the girl for a moment.

"No," he said. "See... boy."

Daniel and Janet exchanged confused looks, but Daniel led him over to Ben's crib without a word.

Syun scanned the baby and the crib for a moment, and then started to unhook his IV's.

"Wait, what are you doing?" Daniel demanded.

"Me... take."

Daniel's stomach sank like a stone. "What? No!" He yanked Syun's hands away and snatched Ben from the crib before Syun had the chance. "He stays."

"Me... take."

Daniel shook his head. "No. The boy stays with me."

Syun screeched in anger and lunged for the baby. "TAKE!"

Daniel quickly backed away as the SF's grabbed Syun's arms and fastened them behind his back. The babies both woke up at the sound of Syun's angry shouts and started to cry. Daniel hugged Ben tightly and motioned for Janet to get as far away from Syun as she could.

"Minal kara!" Syun cried, struggling to get away from the guards. "Mine!"

"You're not taking him," Daniel said over the sound of the babies' cries. "You'll kill him."

"Me... made... him!"

It took all of Daniel's restraint not to fly at him and let out all of his rage on the alien's indignant face. "From me!" he shouted. "You used me... you hurt me, you humiliated me, you gave me your disease, you treated me like I was nothing! Now you want to do the same to him?"

"Him... fix... me!"

Daniel nodded. "Well, then he's done what you wanted him to do. Now let him live."

Syun stared him down for a few moments, but then his demeanour changed. Suddenly he was eerily calm as he said quietly, "Him... live. Make... more."

Daniel felt sick. "Don't," he said, though he knew it was no use. They had more sperm. They could make as many children as they wanted.

Syun lifted his chin in triumph and started walking towards the door. The guards accompanied him, with Teal'c following behind.

Everyone else was left stunned and shaken by the scene.

"What the hell just happened?" Jack said in bewilderment.

General Hammond gave Daniel a sympathetic look before turning and leaving the infirmary along with the airmen he'd arrived with. Sam stood on the far side of the room with her arm around Cassie, both of them looking solemn and pale. Janet came to stand at Daniel's side, still holding onto Chloe as she tried to calm her down. Nobody seemed to know what to do or say.

Finally, Janet handed Chloe to Jack and held her arms out to Daniel. "Here, let me take him," she said. "He needs those IV's."

Daniel was reluctant to part with him, as Ben was not only screaming now but also shaking. He knew Janet was right, but sticking needles in him and leaving him on his own to cry was exactly what Syun had done. "Can.. can I keep on holding him?" he asked. "I'll sit down with him and you can put the IV stands beside me."

Janet laid her hand on Daniel's arm and gave it an encouraging squeeze. "Okay," she said. "Go sit down."

Daniel sat down in the rocking chair, and Janet reinserted Ben's IV's while everyone else stood around and watched. His cries soon died down as Daniel began to rock, but he didn't fall asleep. He lay there looking up at the people gathered around him, almost as if he knew this was his new family. Daniel liked to think he did.

Teal'c returned a few minutes later and announced that Syun was gone. Daniel felt more than a little relieved knowing he'd never have to see that face again. He tried not to think about the other children Syun was going to manufacture in Ben's place. He'd saved this one. That was all he could really do for now.

By this time, Janet had taken Chloe back from Jack and gotten herself settled into a bed across the room to feed her, so she was out of earshot when General Hammond returned to the infirmary close behind Teal'c. "The NID have just arrived," he said. "They already know that Syun is no longer here, so they've requested they be allowed to see the children."

Daniel was sure he couldn't have heard correctly. "Excuse me?"

"Don't worry, Dr. Jackson, I gave them a flat-out no," Hammond said. "They're not happy about it, as you may well imagine. I told them the babies are much too sick right now, but they have insisted they at least speak with you at some point today."

Daniel sighed and laid his head back against the chair. "Alright," he said. "I'll talk to them later. But there's no way in hell they're getting anywhere near my kids."

Hammond nodded and turned on his heel to leave the room.

"What was that?" Jack asked, coming to stand behind Daniel's chair.

"NID," Daniel said. No other words were really necessary.

He glanced over his shoulder to make sure Janet hadn't heard, and thankfully she seemed to be perfectly unaware of what had just happened.

Daniel hoped she stayed that way.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

To be continued...