A/N: So sorry it has been a while since I've updated - I tried doing it about twenty times over the past few days, and only now has my computer even allowed me to LOG IN! It makes me mad. Anywho, here ya go!
"No, no, Aunt Líle. My flight to Ireland is in two days – the kids are coming with me," Kristie explained to her aunt.
The older woman's voice was crackly over the phone, "Why? Do you realize, Kristina, my dear, how many people would try to kidnap the children if you bring them?"
Kristie rolled her eyes as she made her sandwich, "Do you know how many people already have tried, Aunt Líle? It doesn't matter where they are, though. Those kids would never let anything happen to themselves. Don't worry."
"I still don't think it's wise…"
"Oh, I've gotta go, Líle! The kids just woke up from their nap. Talk to you later."
"Kris-" She hung up the phone with a click, cutting off the sound of her aunt's wining voice from her ears.
The young woman heard a snort from behind her. When she turned around she found Melanie leaning up against the doorframe looking at her oddly, "Why didn't you tell me about their powers?"
Kristie shrugged, grabbing a diet soda from the refrigerator and offering one to Mel. "The less people who know, the better. People have already tried to kidnap them because of Jack and Sam – I don't want the NID or any of their unofficial off-shoots to get any ideas about using the kids in defense of the planet, or anything like that."
Melanie nodded, taking the soda and following Kristie into the dining room. Camilla and Justin had put the kids down for their naps and then went into the living room to watch a movie, leaving Kristie and Melanie in full rule of the kitchen.
"That makes sense. It was just a shock to see them, you know?"
Kristie snorted, "Imagine how Jeff felt the first time he saw the kids using their powers! He walked into the play room to ask them if they wanted to go to the park and found them all in opposite corners conjuring up something in the air."
"I can imagine even your big bad Air Force husband found that a little disconcerting."
Kristie grinned, "That's putting it lightly." The two women sat in silence for a few minutes, before Kris finally got up the courage to say what she needed to, "What are you doing here?"
Mel looked down at her hands, not wanting to answer and yet knowing she had to say something. "Mom… She…"
"Just say it, Mel."
Melanie looked up into Kristie's eyes, "I'm not sure I can. Life's been pretty interesting these past few days, I just needed to get away from it all."
The other woman reached across the table and grasped Melanie's hand in her own. "It's okay, Mel. Life gets like that sometimes."
Melanie shook her head, "Not like this."
"Melanie, what's wrong?"
Finally the other woman sighed in defeat. Lifting her head, her eyes sought out Kristie's. "Two days ago Mom got a visit from someone everyone thinks is dead. She was home alone – I was at school and Dad was at work."
"Melanie?"
The younger woman's eyes began to tear, "Todd's back."
Kristie felt the wooziness and before she knew what she was doing, she was running into the kitchen and throwing up her breakfast into the trashcan. Todd was back. The man who raped her and sired four of her children was back?
Kristie went back into the dining room sporting a glass of water and sleeve of saltines. "That's impossible, Mel. Jack told me it was done with, taken care of once and for all. He can't be back."
Melanie shook her head, "I know just how you feel, Kristie…"
"No, you don't! Part of you is glad he's back because he's your brother. All of me is sickened by the very thought of him because he raped me. Yes, I got four of the most wonderful children in the universe out of it – but he still raped me. Nothing can change that, Mel, nothing."
Melanie felt the tears track down her face as she got up. Her job was done, here. That was all she had needed to tell her. "I'm sorry, Kris. I can't change what he's done and neither can he. I really think he's trying to change, though."
"Just get out. Get out of my house."
Melanie just nodded and left, knowing there was nothing else she could do. Kristie wanted to believe Todd would always be who he was nearly three years before, but Melanie couldn't believe that. If she did then she would betray her parents and her brother with her attitude.
As soon as she was gone, Kristie lunged for the phone, intent on calling Jack and chewing him out.
Only when she was half way through dialing did she realize that this was her battle to fight. What happened to Todd years before was Jack's, Sam's, Daniel's, and Teal'c's battle. This battle was for her and Jeff to fight, alone.
Her hand stopped dialing, letting the phone fall from her grasp, she put both her hands over her stomach to remind herself of the child she carried within her. The child made out of love rather than hate, a child she would always cherish.
Then her mind went to the four children sleeping peacefully in their rooms. What of them? Would she deny them the right to make up their own minds about Todd just because it would fit her purposes better? All four of them loved Jeff and thought of him as their daddy, if Kristie let Todd see them would that change?
The pregnant woman sank to her knees, staring at the cordless phone lying haphazardly on the floor beside her. She needed to call them, but something within her told her it wasn't time.
She didn't know how long she sat there, thinking about everything happening to her. But the ringing of the phone brought her out of it. It took her mind a few moments to realize that she had to answer the phone.
"Hello?" she whispered.
"Hey, Kristie?"
"Hey, Sam. What's up?"
"Oh, not much. I was wondering if you wanted to go out to lunch with us today."
Kristie glanced at her watch and found that it was, indeed, lunchtime. "Sure. Who's 'us'?"
"Oh, the whole gang: Jack, me, Daniel, Janet, Teal'c, Jeff – ohh! We even got Dad and Ishta here. They just arrived!"
"Okay, I'll be there in a few."
"We're eating at O'Malley's, okay?"
"Sure, that's fine. See you soon."
As she hung up the phone, Kristie wondered briefly what was going on with Sam and Jack, and she tried to push Todd out of her mind so that she could have a pleasant lunch.
A/N: Please review.
