AN: Well, Kats and Kittens, it has been an extremely long journey from that very first chapter, neh? Poor Danny and Kaara just haven't seemed to catch a break yet. Hopefully this last chapter will prove that wrong. :) I am so very glad you have stuck through this fic to the end. I thank you all so, so very much for your wonderful reviews and your support! I hope you all enjoy this last chapter!
Chapter Ten:
" . . . including two who did not belong," Thor finishes, just as a white flare erupts at the edge of the sleek, black briefing table.
Two figures emerge within the light, one standing, one seemingly kneeling. As the flash subsides, the group finds the forms to be those of Kaara and Daniel, both alive, both well, and . . .
"Will you marry me?" Daniel's question rings throughout the silence, only to be broken by the young nurse's extremely enthusiastic response.
"Yes!" She exclaims, the tears in her eyes now streaming down her cheeks. Daniel stands, kissing her immediately as he pulls her close. Cheers and whoops from their unnoticed audience startle them, and they turn quickly to find SG-1 and General Hammond.
"It's about damn time," the general chuckles, glad that the two have returned safely and in one piece.
Daniel turns back to Kaara, a large grin on his face as he, once again, pulls her into a long, passionate kiss.
Suddenly, the archaeologist grunts in pain, pulling from Kaara and clutching his chest as his knees tremble weakly. Jack rushes forward, catching the young man before he can hit the ground.
"What's wrong?" He demands of the nurse, his words harsh but his tone full of worry.
"On th-the planet," Kaara sputters, once again near tears. "He was shot . . . There was a blue light, and then we were on this ship . . . Someone named Skadi . . . God! Daniel, not again!"
She falls to her knees beside the young man, threading her fingers through his hair as he takes short, gasping breaths.
"Look at me, Sweetie," she whispers softly, concentrating on his pool-blue orbs. "Shh. It's all right."
Through the chaos, General Hammond orders a medical team to the briefing room, Jack, Sam, and Teal'c all hover around their fallen comrade anxiously, and Kaara attempts to calm the hyperventilating young man.
"Breathe with me, Babe. Come on," the young nurse coaxes, rubbing soothing circles on Daniel's chest. "Shh. It's okay. One . . . Two . . . Three . . . In. One . . . Two . . . Three . . . Out. That's it, Danny. You're doing great. Just keep it up."
Daniel's breathing slows drastically to the relief of the others, but the pained expression never leaves his face as tears begin to form in his eyes.
Suddenly, Janet and her staff burst through the door, clearing the people around Daniel and beginning the arduous task of, yet again, helping their archaeologist stay alive.
0 o 0 o 0
"So, when's the wedding?" Jack asks, clearing his throat uncomfortably as Daniel and Kaara finally come up for air after a rather long kiss.
The young couple blush profusely, ducking their heads. They had not had much time to discuss their future plans yet. With Daniel hospitalized for near a week and in surgery most of that time, there had been little discussing at all.
The Asgard technology, though greatly advanced, had not been able to heal the entirety of the archaeologist's injuries due to either lack of knowledge of the human physiology or simply because they had not been given enough time to make the necessary repairs to Daniel's body. Either way, plenty had been left for the medical staff. Cracked ribs, a punctured lung, internal bleeding.
Needless to say, they had their work cut out for them.
Now, a few days after his last surgery, Daniel seems . . . better than expected.
"Well," the young man replies hesitantly, "we haven't really-"
"I'm thinking September," Kaara interrupts with a satisfactory nod.
A fall wedding. She has always wanted one. Leaves of yellow and red and brown swirling this way and that, the heat of summer gone, the harshness of winter not yet upon them. The perfect time for an outdoor wedding, perhaps near the breeze of her favorite lake with a view of snow-topped mountains.
"September is only two and a half months away," Daniel points out in astonishment. "Are you sure want it that soon?"
"Daniel Jackson, no one is taking this wedding away from me," the nurse says harshly, leaning in with an intimidating glare. "I have waited too long for this."
"I'll say," Jack mutters, causing both to turn to him. "What?"
Sighing, Daniel replies, "Alright. If that's when you want the wedding . . . that's when we'll have it."
Kaara squeals in delight, kissing the archaeologist's forehead and excitedly rushing off to reveal her wonderful news with Sam and Janet.
Daniel sags against the pillows and closes his eyes, allowing a slow stream of air to pass through his lips. Opening one eye, he finds Jack staring at him in bemusement.
"This is going to come back and bite me in the ass, isn't it?" He questions with a wince as his body attempts to adjust to his new position.
"Oh, and is it," the colonel chuckles, sitting in the plastic chair beside the hospital bed. "How's it going?"
"Not bad," the young man sighs, averting his gaze.
"Great," Jack smiles. "Now . . . How's it really going?"
Daniel manages a soft grin of his own, knowing all too well of the colonel's 'sixth sense.' Knowing your team is an essential part of being a leader. But Jack doesn't consider SG-1 his 'team' . . . They are his family, his 'kids.'
If something were to happen to them, Jack would not be able to live with himself. He has lost far too much already.
Daniel sees this familiar look in the colonel's eyes, for as well as Jack knows each of them, they know him twice over.
"Somewhat sore," the archaeologist admits, watching the other man carefully. "Surgery will do that, I'm told."
"No kidding?" Jack questions in mock inquiry. "And?"
Daniel takes a deep breath, releasing it slowly and replying, "Pre-wedding jitters."
"Ah," the infamous Irish grin appears on Jack's face, signifying that Daniel is in for a little 'O'Neill Advice.' "Allow me to educate you, Doctor Jackson, on the finer points of marriage."
"I have been married before, Jack," Daniel points out.
"But not to an Earthling, Daniel," the colonel's eyebrows rise in pure Teal'c fashion. "Now, first thing's first . . ."
0 Several Months Later 0
Jack stares around the picnic table located in his backyard, currently seating what he has come to call 'the gang.' At the head sits General Hammond (as it seems only fitting). The right side holds his second in command, the doc, and Cassie. The left side seats Teal'c and an empty space for himself, leaving the other end of the table open to the newly weds, Daniel and Kaara.
"Sir, those hamburgers done yet?" Sam inquires, staring with amusement at the nearly burnt patties resting on the grill before him.
"Can it, Carter," he grumbles with a grin, flipping the burgers onto the awaiting porcelain plate beside him.
Placing the platter in the center of the wooden table, everyone reaches forward, grabbing various condiments, chips, salad, and every other array of food scattered about. Jack smiles as he sits beside the Jaffa, listening to the idle chatter.
"Mom, it's meat. It used to be a cow. I'm not eating it."
"Young lady, since when have you become a vegetarian? Uncle Jack went through all that trouble . . ."
"I wouldn't worry, Janet. I remember my vegetarian stage."
"Major Carter, I do not recall ever having gone through this 'vegetarian stage.' Is this common in all humans?"
Laughter ensues, and the only people seeming to avoid entering the conversation are Daniel and Kaara. Both stare at each other as if they can converse with one another just by looking into the other's eyes.
"Hey, you two," Jack says, squirting a disgustingly large amount of ketchup onto his hamburger. "We aren't all telepathic, you know. Care to enlighten us?"
Daniel smiles nervously and Kaara blushes profusely.
"Well," the archaeologist clears his throat, "we were actually thinking about buying a house."
"Something wrong with the loft?" Jack inquires as he bites into the sloppy mess, ketchup squirting from all sides of the burger.
"Oh, not really," Kaara shrugs. "We just figure it might be a little . . . small."
"It seems big enough for the two of you," Sam says, bringing a forkful of salad to her mouth.
"Oh, for two it's just fine," Daniel says reassuringly.
"But for three . . ." Kaara trails off, an odd sort of smile on her face.
Jack, suddenly, starts to cough as his burger falls to his plate, all three women on the right side of the table gasping at once.
"You mean you're . . ." Sam starts, her eyes wide.
Kaara nods, Daniel interlocking his fingers with hers. Sam, Janet, and Cassie seem to squeal all at once as they jump up from the table and crowd around the young nurse.
"Daniel, you dog," Jack grins widely as he reaches across the table and pats the archaeologist on the cheek. Daniel's face colors slightly as he chuckles.
"DanielJackson is not a canine, O'Neill," Teal'c points out monotonously, confused by this whole ordeal. "And to whom are you referring to when you speak of this third party that shall be inhabiting your new home?"
Laughter breaks out at the Jaffa's inquiry.
"Kaara's pregnant, Teal'c," Sam explains.
Teal'c's eyebrow raises as he nods, saying, "A blessing upon you both. This is wondrous news."
"Thank you, Teal'c," Daniel nods gratefully.
"Congratulations, Doctor Jackson, Mrs. Jackson," Hammond smiles at the two, knowing full well that the events of merely months ago could have lead to the demise of this joyous occasion.
"Thank you, General," Kaara says before returning to answer the myriad of questions raining from the three surrounding her.
Jack stands, clearing some of the dirtied plates and carrying them to the kitchen as his friends continue to chat. Placing them in the sink, he turns on the water and allows it to slowly fill the metal tub.
"I never got to thank you, Jack," a voice says from behind him. The colonel turns to see Daniel standing on the other side of the kitchen, leaning in the doorway.
"Thank me for what?" He asks with a confused chuckle.
"For Kaara," the archaeologist replies with a smirk. "You introduced us, or don't you remember?"
"No thanks needed, Danny," Jack smiles widely. "I'm just glad my plan worked out as nice as it did."
"Plan?" Daniel inquires, his eyebrows furrowing.
"To drag you into imprisonment, Dannyboy. That girl is gonna keep you busy for the rest of your life."
Daniel laughs, a sound that Jack has not heard for quite some time and is extremely happy to hear once again.
"I certainly hope so, Jack," the young man replies, a true smile painting his lips. "I certainly hope so."
The colonel stares at his friend, the heart of their team, their soul, and just another reason why the world is still in one piece.
"Yea," Jack says, turning and shutting the water faucet off. "You just wait until that thing in her starts growing. You're gonna have a lot on your hands."
"That so?"
"Yes, Siree Bob. Morning sickness, extreme laziness, food binges . . . I could go on and on and-"
"Please don't, Jack," Daniel pleads.
"But you haven't even heard the best of it yet," Jack grins like the Cheshire cat as he wraps an arm around the archaeologist's shoulders and leads him back outside, all the while instructing him on the finer points of birth, labor, and the extensive value of sumatriptan.
AN: Questions? Comments? Vague disregard for any or all words written and established in the mind of one who has no sanity?
Well, what do you think, Kats and Kittens? How's that for an ending? It has one of those 'and they all lived happily ever after' qualities, yea? I certainly hope so. I'm always a sucker for happy endings ... Well, most of the time. :)
So, to get a couple of things out of the way: no, there will not be anymore to this story. As much as I've loved writing it and having you all read it, there just isn't really that much more to tell ... Unless I go into the whole 'parenthood' thing with Daniel and Kaara ... but I'd have no idea what I was doing.
Next, Skadi, the Asgard on the ship: Skadi is derived from Norse mythology. She is said to be a giantess and the goddess of winter. The name's always jumped out at me, and I finally just decided I had to use it. :)
And lastly: sumatriptan is a very strong migraine medicine. I don't doubt that Daniel will be needing plenty of it once that baby is born (and perhaps in the months leading up to his or her birth). :)
Again, thank you all so very much for sticking with me to the end. I hope this ending didn't disappoint anyone ('cause I'm really not itching to rewrite it), and, if you'll all excuse me, I have the Moulin Rouge soundtrack to go and listen to (can you believe I haven't actually seen the whole movie yet? Just bits and parts on youtube. I simply must find it. Anyone know if it's posted online anywhere?). Later, Gators! Catch you all on the flip side!