Origin

Briar Elwood

A/N: Okay, I can pretty much guarantee this'll be the last update until July. But that's only a little over a week so it's not too bad, right?

Chapter XVII

Shock

"Hank, we should go check it out,' Jack insisted.

"The future?" Landry clarified. He shook his head. "Sorry, Jack, but no. What would you do anyway?"

Jack shrugged. "I don't know! But we need to do something!"

"Unauthorized off world activation," Walter's familiar warning sounded. Landry sighed, standing up as they all hurried down the stairs. They arrived just in time to see the iris spiraling open.

'That wasn't me, sir," Walter declared. Everyone stared at the wormhole, waiting to see who it could be. An ancient man walked into view.

"Holy crap," Jack said.

"No," Myrddyn told them. "You do not need to do something."

A Very Few Minutes Later…

"Explanation please," John practically demanded as soon as they all returned to the briefing room. Myrddyn smiled.

"I am Myrddyn—"

"We know," Jack interrupted. Myrddyn frowned at him disapprovingly.

"I am the Head of the Council of the Altera—"

"Know that too," Jack interrupted again. Sam eyed him out of the corner of her eye.

"Jack…" she hissed warningly. Myrddyn shot her a grateful glance.

"You need not worry over the future of Earth," the Ancient assured them. "I am dealing with Orionus."

"What do you mean by 'dealing' with him?" Vala asked slowly. Myrddyn shook his head.

"That does not concern you." He met Q's awed stare. "You will know when it will be safe for you to return to your time."

"How?" she asked politely. Myrddyn simply smiled.

"You'll know."

"That's not cliché whatsoever," Rodney muttered under his breath.

After Merlin Leaves…

"Okay…so, meanwhile, what do we do?" Cam thought out loud.

"I still want to know if there's anything in Atlantis," Landry told them. "And there's also the possible alternative to the ZPM. Q, would you like to go along?"

Q nodded. "That'd be great!"

"I'll stay here," Vala offered quietly. "I'll keep an eye on Rose too."

"Would you?" Sam made sure hopefully. Vala shrugged.

"Why not?"

Landry nodded, satisfied. "The rest of you, get some rest. You leave in the morning."

That Night…

Vala offered Q a room for the night and, after putting her son to bed, settled down on the couch with her old friend to talk.

"So…what your son's name?" Q asked conversationally as Vala handed her a glass of apple juice.

"Doesn't have one yet," Vala replied, pouring some vodka for herself. Q eyed the drink.

"You okay?" she asked, concerned. Vala shrugged, taking a swig and sitting down.

"Not really," she admitted without remorse. Q pursed her lips.

"What's up?" After a moment passed with Vala simply staring at her vodka, Q added: "Does it have to do with Daniel?"

"We got stuck in Atlantis back when the Ancients were still there," Vala suddenly said in a rush. "Daniel got the idea in his head that he could change them and ended up splitting them in two…we later figured out his group was the Ori. Are the Ori. But Daniel wouldn't believe us. He's still there."

Q's eyes widened, her glass freezing at her lips. Slowly, she lowered it. "He's in the past?" Q clarified. Vala raised an eyebrow.

"It's not that strange," Vala pointed out. "You're living proof of that."

Q shook her head. "That's not what I mean…he just stayed there? Of his own accord?"

Vala nodded. Q winced. "Ouch."

"Yeah," Vala agreed. "It stings. Especially since our son was just born. Was born there, actually. Prematurely…there was a while where we weren't sure if he was going to live."

Q shook her head, sipping at her juice. "Wow, Vala. That really stinks. I'm sorry."

Vala shrugged. "It's not your fault."

"Yeah, but I can't still feel sorry for you, can't I?" Q said. "How you holding up?"

Vala shrugged again. "So far, I'm fine. But I think I'm still in shock. I don't think it's really hit me yet."

Q nodded. "I know how that feels."

Vala looked up, meeting Q's gaze. "Oh yeah…" she recalled. "When Earth was wiped out."

Q nodded again. "Yeah. It's hard to loose someone you love."

Vala nodded her agreement, taking another swig of her vodka. "Anyway. How 'bout you? What're you up to?"

Q shrugged. "I'm working at the SGC now. That's how I had access to a Jumper. Told them about my little adventure with you guys, they looked it up in the records to confirm it and I got a job."

"You on one of the teams?" Vala asked, interested. Q shook her head.

"Not yet. I'm too young still. I'm just one of the resident linguists. I'm studying to become an archeologist."

Vala raised an eyebrow. "You really are related to Daniel, aren't you?"

Q grinned. "Yeah, I guess. I'm related to you too, though."

"Through Adria," Vala pointed out.

"Yeah, so? Still related."

"Any men in your life?" Vala asked after a moment. Q blushed, ducking her head slightly. Vala was immediately interested.

"I take that as a yes," she said slyly. Q cocked her head from left to right.

"Well…sorta…"

"Do tell!" Vala insisted.

Late That Night…

Vala lay in her bed after she and Q decided it was high time they check in…seeing as Q was leaving in the morning and Vala's son would keep her up the rest of the night and she needed some sleep. The two women had had fun, back to their familiar giggling and joking, but now Vala was alone in her room…alone in her bed…without Daniel. The darkness was settling in, as was reality and Vala's eyes were wide open, staring at nothing.

That was when the shock passed.

That was when she cried.

A/N: Poor Vala. Poor, poor Vala.

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