Chapter Two

"Why'd she never tell me she had a son?" Daniel asked quietly to himself.

"None of you knew of this?" Junia questioned and received all negative responses. "I cannot say I'm surprised. Vala was and has always been a private person. Please do not take it personally that she didn't confide in you. She had her reasons, I'm sure. She was most likely protecting the boy."

"How so?" Sam asked.

"You already know what kind of life she led prior to having Kenan and after she feared he was dead," Junia began, "Kenan's conception wasn't planned, and his birth father was not a good man. Vala didn't like what she had to do but it had been the only way to survive and escape from being handed over to Ba'al. In the end, it gave her Kenan and she could never regret him. After finding out about the pregnancy, she knew she had to settled down and live an honest life. She came to us.

"She couldn't go home to our village. Though they are more evolved now, they saw and still see her as Qetesh or at least use that excuse. When she came home the first time, she was captured and was almost stoned to death. The only reason she survived was because a terrible storm blew in and our people left her tied to a post outside. Gaius and I rescued her during the storm and left the planet. We helped her recover in a small trading town, out of sight of anyone who may recognize her as Qetesh. It was shortly after she recovered that she followed her father's footsteps. Gaius and I settled on that planet and grew our family.

"She returned often. We were the only family she truly had. When she came back after being away for a while, she was pregnant and begged for our help. We, of course, did. After Kenan was born, she settled in a small house not far from us. She only took on honest work from then on, leaving Kenan behind with us when she had to leave. The last time we saw her, both Gaius and I were wary of the job and whom she decided to trust, but the job was worth a of money, enough to allow her to stay with Kenan for longer period, so she did it.

"It was a trap, set by Ba'al. He succeeded in capturing her that time. He somehow discovered the location of the planet we called home. I don't know what happened when she was with Ba'al but she was somehow able to convince a Jaffa, one claiming to be of the free Jaffa, to warn us before Ba'al destroyed the planet we were on. We had only minutes to escape before his ships arrived. Very few people escaped from the planet. The chappa'ai appeared to have been destroyed on the planet. We were never able to get the chappa'ai to open to the planet."

"There was nothing left of Elvana," Vala broke in and she walked out of the stalks, a little boy, no older than six, on her hip. The two of them clung to each other. "It was wasteland, nothing remained. No mountains, wildlife, nothing. After I escaped, I stole a cargo ship and got there as fast as I could. I couldn't find the Stargate anywhere and feared the worst. I didn't stop searching. I went to every place we agreed upon if such a thing were to happen. I found no trace of you all."

"Two of the four places were compromised. Ba'al's Jaffa were there and we couldn't trust the other two. We tried staying on planets you might look for us on but we didn't dare stay long," Gaius supplied as he came from behind Vala, planted a kiss on her head, and went to Junia's side.

"We feared you were dead, or worse, that Ba'al made you a host again," Junia admitted gently. "But Kenan, he never gave up hope. Even at barely two years, he always said 'mama come.' We made sure he'd never forget you and he has not or lost hope of ever seeing you again."

Vala sniffed and blinked back tears. Shifting Kenan around so he was directly in front of her, she kissed his forehead and squashed him tightly to her. "My clever, darling boy," she murmured in a broken voice.

Daniel cleared his throat to get her attention. "Have someone you'd like us to meet?" he asked cheekily with a smile. The amount of relief he felt was enormous an felt as though he could breathe again. She had a son, not a former fiancée, boyfriend, and/or lover. Just a son. He could work with that. He liked kids and he couldn't see himself not loving anything that came from her.

Vala smiled softly back at him and rearranged Kenan so he was on her hip once again. "Kenan, I'd like you to meet some special friends of mommy's," she began and pointed to Cam first. "That's Cameron, he thinks he funny. The big one is Teal'c, but I like to call him Muscles. That's Samantha, Sam for short. She's way too smart for her own good. And that is Daniel, mommy's best friend. He gave the chance mommy needed and it led to me finding you."

Daniel felt himself get choked up when she introduced him to Kenan. She gave him way more credit than he deserved.

"Mama, papa, we're back!" three voice echoed from the house. SG-1 and the couple turned in their direction. "Look! It's Tante Vala!" one of the exclaimed and suddenly all three children were wrapped around Vala and Kenan.

"Look at you three! You've all grown so much!" remarked Vala as she caressed the heads of two boys and a girl before planting a kiss on each of them, never releasing her hold on Kenan.

"These are our children," Junia announced to the rest of SG-1. "Elam is our oldest and he's thirteen, Nahum, is next, he's eleven, and our youngest and only daughter, Aquila, who just turned nine. Children, these are friends of Tante Vala's and have brought her home to us!"

Daniel politely said his hellos, greeting each child, and accepted their heartfelt thanks for bringing back their tante (aunt, he assumed). But inside, he despaired once more. The way Junia had phrased it had his head spinning and thoughts going out of control. Why would he automatically assume Vala would be coming home with him, with SG-1, bringing her son as well? Knowing Vala as well as he did, he knew she would do whatever was best for her son, and that meant not tearing him away from everything he knew and was familiar to him. Plus, Vala wasn't even allowed to live off base! What kind of life would that be for her and the young boy? Not to mention it wouldn't that safe for him either with all the scrapes the SGC got into.

He knew one thing for certain; he wouldn't lose her or let her go, even if it meant leaving Earth himself. He had live the small, quiet life before for the woman he loved. He could do it again. Now all he had to do was convince Vala.

Vala's friends held a small celebration with their family and SG-1, cooking and baking some of Vala's favorite dishes. After their small feast, they all adjourned outside where Gaius had lit a bon fire and he and his two sons played some music while Kenan and Aquila danced around the fire, Vala joining in occasionally. Vala had yet to take her eyes off the son she thought she had lost. He was either in her arms or her sight. It was like she was afraid he'd vanish into thin air.

Cam had checked in with Landry earlier, giving him the cliff notes of recent developments, and had informed him Vala would not be coming back to Earth tonight. Though surprised at the news, the General wasn't surprised to hear she was staying or when Mitchel informed him Daniel was staying as well. Mitchel, Sam, and Teal'c left shortly after the bonfire was lit, wanting to be back at the 'Gate before it was completely dark, and promised to return in a few days if Daniel and Vala hadn't made it back by then.

That's how they spent the next few hours, around the fire, and Vala catching up with her friends. They swapped stories over what had transpired over the three years apart, Vala obviously having more to share. Her friends were shocked and heartbroken for her when they found out she was the mother of the Orici and how that situation turned out. Their stories had mostly been about Kenan and his life for the last three years. Vala hugged him tightly to her as they shared the tales, often whispering into his ear. Kenan fell asleep, wrapped in his mother's arms for the first time in three years. Noticing the late hour, Gaius and Junia gathered their brood and promised to return once they were in bed.

Once alone, Vala broke the silence before Daniel could. "It was for his protection," she declared. Vala was no fool and like to think she knew Daniel Jackson pretty well. She could just see him waiting for the chance to bombard her with questions and to ask her why she had kept Kenan a secret.

"From whom?" Daniel questioned gently.

"Ba'al mostly. You know of his weird, disturbing obsession with me," she answered, scoffing at the end. "Daniel, please know, you are the one person I trust the most in the entire galaxy, hell, the entire universe. I mean we've been to several galaxies and you're the one person I trust the most. But I couldn't risk you knowing. What if you were captured and somehow unknowing or unwillingly gave up that information? I couldn't risk Ba'al, or gods forbid the man who fathered him, to know of his existence. They would stop at nothing to find him, whether I thought he was dead or not. And I truly did believe he was dead."

"I understand, Vala. I really do," Daniel assured her, "I guess in a way, it makes a little more sense, you make more sense. I always thought it was because of Adria, but it goes back further for you."

"What do you mean?"

"When you first came to Earth, I accused you of having this defense mechanism to make sure you didn't form any emotional attachments, and while I still believe that was true, I shouldn't have said it the way I did. You tried to do everything to make sure you didn't form any emotional bonds or relationships because of all the people you've lost. First your mother and brother, then your fiancée, your people and home after Qetesh, your son and Adria, even your father to an extent. All of it makes sense why you were the way you were. I thought I understood you and where you came from, but I was wrong. You are so much more amazing and stronger than I ever thought or gave you credit for. It all just makes sense to me now."

"Thank you, Daniel," she whispered, not knowing what else to say and overcome with emotion from his declaration.

"How long?" he inquired after a short pause. She shot him a questioning look. "How long did you search before you went back to being a space pirate?"

She leaned her head against her son's, staring at the fire. "I shamefully admit it was only a few months before I gave up. Based on what the planet looked like, no one could've survived. Ba'al would've destroyed the 'gate first, leaving no way to escape. But I was wrong, and I'll regret that for the rest of my life," she admitted softly. "When I tried to steal Prometheus, that was my first real job back in the game."

"A little risky, taking on a job that big when you've been out of the game for a while."

She chuckled ruefully. "I did a lot of risky, stupid stuff during that time, and I really didn't care at the time."

"You make it sound like you were trying to get caught," he remarked offhanded but caught the expression on her face. "Oh my gods, Vala, were you?"

"It doesn't matter now."

Daniel sprang to his feet. "Of course it matters!" he whispered furiously and approached her. "Do you have any idea what could've happened if you had been caught?" he crouched down in front of her and saw the answer written on her face. He squeezed his eyes shut. "Of course you did. You really wanted it that badly?"

Silent tears rolled down her cheeks. "I just wanted to be with him. I couldn't do it anymore without him. Losing him was the last straw for me, Daniel," she confessed brokenly, "But my damn instincts always kicked in."

"I'm glad they did," he whispered earnestly to her, wiping her tears away before taking a seat beside her. "They knew something you didn't. They brought you to me and the SGC."

"And the Ori and Adria as well," she added bitterly.

"That wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's fault," he insisted.

Vala digested his words, pausing momentarily. "You know, meeting you also played a role as well," she hesitantly confessed. She saw the intrigue on his face and continued. "You were such a good man, honest, genuine, and honorable. It's what I always hoped Kenan would grow to be. I couldn't stop thinking about you, so curious to learn more, and I asked around and found out all about the famous Dr. Daniel Jackson of SG-1 and the Tau'ri. When I came across that tablet, I knew it was my ticket to see you and that's why I stole it. I wanted to see you again. Getting to know you and having a purpose, it made me what more. It made me want the life I used to dream of having with Kenan and to be the person I was with him."

"You were," he assured her, "and you are. You've such a long way from the woman I met on Prometheus. I couldn't be prouder."

She leaned her head on his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her and Kenan. "I can only hope I can be a good mother to him, but I welcome the challenge. I still can't believe he's alive."

Daniel stared at the flames and was silent for a minute before asking the dreaded question, "You're not coming back to Earth, are you?" he knew how her mind worked and that she most likely would respond with a sarcastic remark and beat her to the punch. "I mean, you're not going back to stay. You're leaving Earth, the SGC, leaving me."

"I can't leave Kenan."

"I'm not asking you too. Bring him with you. It'll be safer for the two of you there."

"Ba'al has been on Earth before," she argued.

"And we've almost caught the last of him and his clones. Only one or two are left and they're not on Earth."

"The SGC is no place for a child and I will not do that to him."

"I'll talk to Landry. Hell, I'll get Jack to pull some strings to allow you to live off base so you can get your own place for the two of you."

"I can't rip him away from Junia and Gaius. They're all he knows; his whole life is with them."

"You're his mother and his life is with you, whatever you might be," he reasoned and hesitated before whispering, "And you belong on Earth…with me."

Daniel heard her sharp gasp and felt her remove her head from his shoulder. He closed his eyes, not wanting to face her, afraid of rejection. He couldn't bear the thought.

Vala shifted as best she could with Kenan in her arms so she could properly see Daniel. She couldn't tell if he regretted his words or not. "Daniel," she prompted, her hand finding his cheek and he leaned into it before slowly opening his eyes. "what did you mean by that?"

He panicked and pulled away from her hand, looking anywhere else but her and stumbled over words. "I meant… Earth…its home…and, and – "

"The truth, darling."

Pause. Sigh. "I…I, I can't bear the thought of losing you," he admitted to her and himself. "I care about you, Vala. A lot more than I am willing to admit to myself much less anyone else. Between meeting Junia and meeting Kenan, I spent the whole time in between believing I lost you, that Kenan was a former lover or something. The way you reacted to him being alive, how happy it made you, and the love you had for him made me realize what you mean to me and that I can't lose you."

"Daniel…" she whispered and trailed off.

"Kenan being you son, well I don't think I've ever been so relieved. I want you in my life, Vala. You and Kenan," he declared. "Whether it's the three of us on Earth or here, I don't care. As long as we're together. Just don't say no and leave me."

"What about Kenan? You don't know him. I don't even know him!"

Daniel cupped her face. "He's your son, that's all I need to know and all that matters," he promised. "I like kids and there's no way I couldn't love him as my own; not when…not when I…love his mother as much as I do," he struggled to get out. Not because he didn't feel that way, but because he'd spent years making sure he kept an emotional distance from any woman, in fear of getting hurt again.

"Do you really mean that?" she whispered hopefully.

"I do," he declared.

Vala struggled to stay practical – something that she normally wasn't. It was like the two of them had switched roles. "What about Junia and Gaius? I can't just rip him away from them and them from him."

"Then we stay here."

"Daniel be reasonable," she said rationally, "you can't just up and leave Earth. They won't let you for one thing."

"Then we go to Earth, the three of us, and visit often," he tried instead, "We could even get married," he blurted out before his brain caught up.

"What?" she whispered loudly. "Have you gone mad? What's happened to my Daniel?"

"I'm here. I swear it's me" he gazed straight into her eyes. "Think about it; if we marry, they'll have to let you off the base and live with me. We could get a house in a good neighborhood, with good schools, and big backyard for Kenan to play in. I'll adopt him, with yours and his permission, of course. Maybe even give him a sibling or two," he finished sheepishly.

Some of her resolve crumbled but she stubbornly held on to the last of it. "Kenan doesn't know you, much less me. How would he do if we suddenly ripped him from all he knew to live with two complete strangers. Yes, he has vague memories of me and recognizes me as his mother, but I'm essentially a stranger to him. As his mother, he's obligated to like and/or love me, but what about you? What if he doesn't like you? Could I really still do all this if he didn't like you or wasn't comfortable with you? Would you really ask me to do that? Because I won't. Nothing would've stopped me had you said these things this morning, but that was before Kenan. I need to do what's best for him, no matter what that means for me."

"I get it," he was disappointed, but he couldn't blame her for wanting to do what was best for Kenan. "but that doesn't mean we can't get to know him together, right? And when he knows us better, maybe we can revisit this conversation?"

"I'd like that," she whispered earnestly, "but for now, we should get to bed. It's late."

Daniel agreed and helped her stand up without waking the little guy. Junia and Gaius were sitting at their table inside and directed them to their daughter's room – the young girl was bunking with her brothers. Vala laid Kenan on the bed and her and Daniel quickly prepared for bed. Daniel assumed his host were expecting him to sleep on the floor or something but the three of them were able to squish together on the bed, Kenan in the middle.

Before blowing out the lantern, Daniel leaned over Kenan and pressed a light kiss to Vala's lip and whispered goodnight. Vala mimicked his words, stunned at his actions, and studied him as he fell asleep. She tried to recall if they had been in a situation off-world that would explain his peculiar behavior – if he somehow got body snatched or something. She came up empty. It was almost too good to be true – finding her son alive, her friends alive, and now Daniel finally expressing that he loved her!

With a start, Vala realized that she hadn't said the words back. "I love you, too, Daniel," she quietly muttered, even though he was asleep.

Or so she thought and almost jumped out of her skin when her hand was suddenly encased in his. Her gaze went to his face. His eyes were still closed but a small, but satisfied, grin appeared. He didn't say anything, just squeezed her hand before both of them drifted off.

Author's Note: Small side note, Tante is Norwegian for Aunt and Onkel is obviously Uncle. My family is part Norwegian and we're very proud of it. My nieces and nephews call my parents Grandma and Grandpa in Norwegian and I'm starting to transition from Aunt to Tante.

So it's not an original title or anything. I just like it and wanted to use it. That is all. Let me know your thoughts! On the chapter, not my obsession with Norwegian titles...unless you want to...