Origin

Briar Elwood

A/N: Yes, so I should probably tell everyone...I just started work and the hours are not set, so updates might be a little spaced out. Oh, and next week I'm going to camp. But I have the next oh, lots of chapters written and uploaded so that should help. Just FYI.

Chapter XXIV

Coming Back

"Vala?"

Vala ignored the voice. It was just a dream, she told herself. Just a figment of her imagination. She kept reading the Book of Origin. If she looked up, two things could happen. One: no one would be there. Two: someone would be there and when it became obvious it wasn't real, she'd go into hysterics.

"Vala. Look at me," the voice pushed. "Please."

"It's not real, it's not real," she chanted to herself, closing her eyes.

"Vala," the voice whispered, closer now. Fingers rested on her chin, nudging her face up. "I am real."

Finally, Vala gave in, opening her eyes. "No you're not," she told Daniel. "Your eyes are different. You're here. You're not in Ori clothes; you're in jeans and a t-shirt. You're here."

Daniel sighed and sat on the couch beside her. "I am real, Vala. My eyes are different because of…well, they're emeralds, right?"

Vala nodded, wanting to believe but afraid. Daniel pulled out a necklace from under his t-shirt and presented the jewel to her.

"It's your emerald necklace," he told her. "It broke when you threw it at me and the color drained into my eyes when I used it to remember you and everyone else."

Vala pulled back slightly, taking in everything about him with critical eyes. "How long has it been for you?"

"A few years. I understand it's only been a couple days for you."

Vala nodded. "So. You were the one who outlawed dreams."

Daniel nodded. "So it turns out. You've been doing research on me, I take it?" he asked, picking up the book on her lap. Vala glanced at it before turning her gaze to him, eyes angry.

"I hate you," she chocked, fighting back the ever-present tears. Daniel sighed, looking down at his knees.

"I know."

Vala stood up, storming away. She was only gone a few minutes before she came back, their son in her arms.

"I named him," she told Daniel, voice like stone. "Jared."

Daniel looked up, stood and stroked his son's cheek. Jared smiled at his father, batting Daniel's hand playfully.

"Jared Jackson," he whispered, trying it out. Vala shook her head.

"No. Jared Mal Doran," she corrected. Daniel blinked, looking up to meet Vala's harsh stare. But then he nodded, backing up.

"I understand," he said quietly. "I suppose I should leave."

Part of Vala's heart screamed for him not to go but the torn, angry part of her pushed down the scream and stayed silent and glaring. Seeing she wasn't going to stop him, Daniel nodded again and quickly backed out the door.

SGC Infirmary…

"Thank you, Carolyn."

"Oh, no problem. I could tell Vala needed a break and I'm not really busy right now so I figured what the heck."

Cam nodded at Sam with little Rose in her arms as he passed by her in the infirmary. Upon seeing Carolyn, he shook his head.

"I don't know how you can baby-sit a kid like her."

Carolyn smiled. "I've had way more difficult patients to deal with, Cameron, you know that. You're one of them."

"I don't like being confined to a bed, Carolyn," he excused. Carolyn waved a hand at him.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I heard Daniel's back."

Cam nodded. "Older, wiser and all that good stuff. Plus his eyes are different."

"Emeralds. I heard."

Cam paused, gazing at her. "Wanna come to my place tonight?"

Carolyn smiled, walking to him and kissing his chin. "I'm cooking."

Cam looked offended. "Why does no one like my cooking? They're all my grandma's recipes! She'd be offended!"

Carolyn laughed. "I think she'd be more offended that you're messing up her food so badly. I'm cooking."

"Can we at least have my macaroons?" Cam begged, brushing his lips on her forehead. Carolyn drew back, eyes wide and horrified.

"Anything but the macaroons!"

"Oh, come on!"

Teal'c's Quarters…

"Teal'c."

Teal'c's eyes widened when he opened the door to his room. "Ishta."

Ishta smiled. "You've been busy.

Teal'c inclined his head affirmatively. "Indeed. How long have you been waiting?"

Ishta shook her head. "Not even a day. Do not worry about it."

Slowly, Teal'c moved towards her and kissed her. Ishta kissed him back and no one saw either of them again until the next morning.

The Mess Hall…

"So. Now what?" Ronon asked, sitting down with John, Rodney and Teyla. John shrugged.

"We're back to square one."

"Meaning?" Ronon pushed, waving his fork in the air.

"Meaning we don't know," Rodney bit. Teyla looked to John.

"How are you doing, John?"

John looked slightly surprised before realizing what she was indicating and shrugged.

"I've accepted it by now, I guess. You should be worrying more about him," he added in an undertone, jerking his head at Rodney.

"Hey," Q called, skipping up to them. "Just was talking to Landry. He said you guys could come to 2106 with me. Figures there's some connection between then and now and it might be helpful if you had a team there."

Ronon glanced back at John. "I take it we're no longer on 'square one'?"

A/N: And most of that was pure fluff, wasn't it? Oh well.

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