Origin

Briar Elwood

A/N: Mwahahahahahaha. This doth be another chappie I love.

Oh, and thank you to the overwhelming response to my despair last chapter!!!!! Thank you for the honesty and the reviews, both of which I value greatly! I just hope it wasn't a one time thing and that both won't fail to continue!!!!!!

Oh, and Anjirika? The flashback's for you.

Chapter XXI

Emerald

"Who are you?" Orionus demanded, turning and glaring at Mryddyn.

"My name is Mryddyn," the ancient man replied. "You also know me as Merlin."

"I don't know you at all."

"You don't remember me at all," Mryddyn corrected. "I lived in your head for a couple months many years ago."

Orionus stared at him silently, refusing to be swayed. Mryddyn sighed, clasping his hands together.

"Have you really forgotten everything?"

Orionus looked annoyed. "Of course n—"

"I mean of before. Doesn't your name mean anything to you?"

"What does Orionus mean to you?" he asked testily. Mryddyn shook his head.

"Not that name. Daniel Jackson."

Orionus bristled. "That's not my name."

Mryddyn decided not to argue…directly. "However, that is what I will call you. You will have to get used to it."

Orionus frowned. For some reason, that sounded familiar…

"You still have not answered my original question," Mryddyn continued. "Have you forgotten your previous life? It seems to me that if the Ori erase your memory, that is simply proof—"
"They erase the memories to protect—"

"You are their founder!" Mryddyn exploded. "How are you to know what you're supposed to stay away from if you can't remember it? For example, if you had not forgotten, you would know I am the Head of the Alteran Council!"

Orionus blinked, taken off guard. His eyes flicked to the closed door behind Mryddyn where Oci waited outside. Mryddyn shook his head.

"Do not call Oci. You know I can protect myself from any harm your…Prior, I believe he is called, can afflict on me."

Orionus tensed, eyes fluttering around wildly. Mryddyn sighed wearily.

"I do not wish to harm you. I wish to help you," he assured the younger man. "Back to what I was saying: On the other hand, if the Ori were not full of true virtue, they might erase your past from your memory because they were afraid it would turn you back against them."

Mryddyn watched Orionus's facial expressions before steering down another path.

"Teal'c the Jaffa. Remember him?"

Orionus's face was blank.

"Colonel Cameron Mitchell. Colonel Samantha Carter. Retired General Jonathan 'Jack' O'Neill. Rose O'Neill. Adria."

"The Orici," Orionus finally recognized. "From the prophecy."

"You only remember her from a prophecy?" Mryddyn said exasperatedly. "How about Ettan Jackson?"

Orionus shook his head.

"Vala Mal Doran?"

A sparkle of something deep showed in Orionus's eyes and Mryddyn smiled.

"That name rings a bell, doesn't it?" he questioned. "Not a loud one but a bell all the same. And do you know why? Because the Ori can erase the memories of the mind but not the memories of the heart."

Orionus stared at Mryddyn and the old man watched with satisfaction as the beginnings of memory-filled waves filled Orionus's clear blue eyes.

"Think on it," he told him, turning to leave. "Maybe this will help you remember."

Orionus stared at Mryddyn's retreating figure until he could see him no more before glancing down at his feet to see what Mryddyn had tossed to him.

The emerald lay broken, an ugly crack running down the middle.

A strange emotion filling his heart, Orionus leaned down and picked up the emerald necklace. Straightening, he rubbed it between his fingers, letting his power course through the jewel. As he stared into the green rod, he was taken back to a world he didn't remember.

00

It was one of those rare times when neither Daniel nor Vala was at the mercy of the ever-active Ettan. Vala was hiding in her office and Daniel had managed to shake him off to Sam who turned out to enjoy Ettan's company to an extent many couldn't quite understand. At the current time, Daniel was searching for Vala, fingering the box stuffed in his pocket.

"Hey," he called, walking into Vala's office. She looked up from her computer and rewarded Daniel with her famous grin.

"Hello, darling. How are you?"

"I'm great. You?"

Vala shrugged, glancing at her screen briefly before standing up. "I'm okay."

Daniel smiled, walking to her and kissing her forehead gently. "You know what day it is?" he asked slyly. Vala frowned, brow furrowed.

"Tuesday?" she said slowly. Daniel's smile widened and he shook his head.

"Other than that."

"Well, I know it's been exactly a month today since we got together but somehow I doubt you…" Vala trailed off once Daniel started nodding.

"That's exactly what I was talking about."

"You remembered/" Vala asked, surprised.

"I'm an archeologist," he reminded her. "I have to be good with dates."

"Yeah, but…"

"I got something for you," Daniel interrupted. Vala's eyes widened even further.

"You did?"

Daniel's grin almost exceeded Vala's prize-winning one. "Yeah." He pulled out the box he'd been fingering and handed it to her. "Happy Anniversary."

Vala took it cautiously, eyeing Daniel warily. Slowly, she opened what was very obviously a jewelry box to have the shine of an emerald reflect in her grey eyes. She gasped, tracing the edge of the emerald with her finger.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"You like it?" Daniel made sure. Vala met his eyes, her own dancing.

"I love it!" she exclaimed. She paused, glancing at the jewel again. "Do I have to put it on myself?"

"No! Of course not," Daniel said quickly. He scurried behind her, grabbing the necklace. Vala lifted her hair as he draped the necklace around her neck. After clasping it, he turned her around to face him.

"I love you," she whispered, craning her head back. Daniel kissed her gently on the lips.

"I love you too."

00

"Orionus, sir, are you all right?"

Orionus blinked, looking up from the broken emerald. "Hm? Oh, yes. I'm fine, Oci."

Oci frowned. "I didn't see that old man leave. Did he do anything to you?"

Orionus shook his head. "No, no, I'm fine, Oci. I'm fine."

But, honestly, he wasn't. Honestly, he had started to remember.

A/N: FINALLY!!!!!!! ;p

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