Author's Note: Okay, We're sorry this chapter took so long. This chapter is dedicated to Chase Manson, 1990-2006.
Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.
-T.S. Eliot
Daniel glared at Jack, "way to be blunt."
The General just grinned and turned back to Adriana.
The girl was staring down at her hands, thoughts flying furiously through her head.
The way Jack had asked her- It wasn't an accusation. She couldn't remember anyone ever asking her that without disapproval in their voice. Either Jack was a really good actor, or he was generally interested.
"What do you believe?" she asked, still absorbed in her thoughts.
Jack tilted his head slightly, as if thinking deeply, "I asked you first."
One of Adriana's eyebrows rose slightly, "It doesn't matter what I believe."
"Actually, it does," Sam cut in, "A couple days ago you said something abou-"
"I promise we won't think any different of you because of what you say." Lam interrupted.
The girl scoffed slightly, she had heard that one before.
She could tell… these people wouldn't stop till they had what they wanted. She might as well get it over with and move onto a new place. "Okay, so I believe in aliens," she asked looking back to Jack.
"Why?"
Adriana bit her lip, she wouldn't tell them. She hadn't told anyone. And she never was going to. "I just do, I mean, how likely is it that only one planet out of thousands, developed living organisms."
Sam was puzzled. When did this child become so mature?
All of a sudden Jack yelped and pulled his vibrating pager out of his pocket, "I've gotta go kids. I'll talk to you later." And with that he skipped out of the infirmary.
…
"Dial up Teal'c and Cameron." Jack said to Walter as he walked into the room.
"Sure thing." He punched in the command on the computer and soon the gate was shimmering a blue light in the gate room. "They're on radio sir."
Jack mouthed his thanks before speaking into the microphone on the desk; "Hey there Teal'c, Cameron, how much longer before those science geeks get their readings?"
There was some background muttering before Teal'c's voice came though. "According to Dr. Lee, another hour. However if we are required it could be faster." Teal'c voice was filled with the desire to get back to earth rather then chaperoning scientists.
"Alright then, no emergency, just get back when you can. Thank, O'Neill out." The gate disengaged.
An hour later Teal'c and Cameron came though the gate fallowed by excited scientist that rushed of to their labs with the new samples collected.
"Greetings O'Neill. What is the problem which required radioing Colonel Mitchell and I?"
"Uh, that girl again. She's been saying some weird things, and I was kind of hoping you two could get something out of her." Jack was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet like a little kid.
"Indeed." Teal'c began to walk off fallowed by Mitchell.
"Teal'c you might want to cover up." Jack gestured at his forehead, "She believes in aliens but we're yet to confirm it for her, so just keep it earthly." Teal'c nodded and the walked out of the 'gate room handed their weapons to the airmen on duty.
…
The three men entered and Ana looked up from one of Daniel's books she had been reading. "Hi," she said quietly.
"Hey there, this is Teal'c, and Cameron." Teal'c inclined his head and Cameron waved.
Daniel stepped into the room. "Well you're clear to- Oh hi jack." Daniel spoke as he noticed Jack standing in the room.
"Nice to see you too." Jack commented sarcastically.
"Sorry," Daniel mustered quietly. "Anyways," he turned back to Ana, "Lam says you're cleared to leave. Seeing as you haven't been reported missing yet, and this base is dead boring, I was thinking, with Jack's permission of course, that I could take you to the zoo." Both Ana and Daniel turned pleading eyes towards the General.
"Ahw. Sure go have fun. You might want to get her something other then scrubs though." Ana nodded.
"Right, well I had one of the airmen get some things for her. Come on then Ana." Daniel motioned for her to fallow him and she nervously fallowed
…
Forty minutes later Ana and Daniel were in his black land rover and driving down the mountain road towards the Cheyenne mountain zoo. Even after spending that last two years in Colorado Springs none of her foster families had taken her to the zoo, or any other place that was not required.
"So, what do you want to go see first?" Daniel asked breaking the awkward silence, "The giraffes, the lions or the bears?"
"I don't know."
"Well the giraffes are right there when you walk into the zoo, you can buy crackers to feed to them, that's always fun. And all over the zoo there's peacocks and hens. And after we finish at the zoo we can go up the shrine of the sun, the sunset it beautiful up there.
"Sounds good." Ana said quietly looking out the window.
"Ana, I know you've been a lot of bad homes. I was too. But I am going to make that stop. I promise." Daniel said putting a hand on her shoulder.
"Lots of people have said that, but then they get rid of me a week later."
Daniel sighed. "Well I am actually going to do it, I will do all that I can to keep that promise. Anything, you hear? But for now, let's just have fun." He pulled into the parking lot of the zoo. "Right now it is all about you, and what you want to do." He put the rover in park and got out and opened Ana's door. "Want a ride to the gates?" he said turning around, Ana hoped on his back and they ran all the way to the gates. Daniel booth the tickets and they went inside.
It was better then any of the other kids at Ana's school said it was. There were so many people running about having fun, and for once Ana felt like she might be one of them too.
…
…
Author's Note: Tori's back! She wrote the majority of this chapter.
:o We had originally planned for things to pick up in this chapter, but it was moving way too fast to do anything without screwing something up. This is un-beta'd, if you hadn't noticed already. I'm sorry. I'll try to get our supposed beta reader to fix it up.
It's really sad that I have been on this site for over four years. And I still don't know how to make breaks in between lines. Can anyone help?
Tori and I are both extremely indecisive, and couldn't settle on a name.
Are the different names confusing you? Kaylee/Ana/Adriana? If that is the case, I could go back and stick with one, or I could clear it up a little when I write…
Oh! If you have any suggestions where this should head, please let us know. We've got a basic plot (which I secretly think is crap—help here would be appreciated), characters, and… that's pretty much it. :x
If this fic were to actually go somewhere, where would you prefer it to go? What should happen?
Stays Adriana-centered. Secrets revealed, find her a new life, the end.
Something big happens to Adriana, which pulls SG1 into a big mess.
Follows SG1 around, what they end up doing with Adriana, and their lives after.
Something completely different.
The sun explodes and everyone dies. – wouldn't that make a great read? e.e
Please be aware that because we don't have a specific plot, that we are most likely going to be going back and rewriting a few chapters. I apologize for that.
School finally got out last week. Normally that would mean we would be able to update more frequently, but Tori has a full time job now and I'm taking a couple courses at a local college… We'll try, but no promises.
-Lauren