Well, I know I haven't updated in a while, but I have an excuse! I was doing National Novel Writing Month! Which was quite fun. So, there! Hopefully, though, I'll be able to post these chapters more often. Please enjoy!

Chapter 7: The Truth

After Doctor Fraiser had taken a look at him, I sat next to my unconscious attacker, who was lying in a bed, restrained.

"His name is Doctor William Gerard," Daniel appeared beside me. "He's a scientist who's spent most of career trying to prove there's life on other planets. He was laughed at by the scientific community."

"Well, that would explain his desperation to get the Orb," I sighed, and leaned back, regarding the man sadly. I remembered imagining tall, dark, and handsome. I was right about the tall part. His hair was gray, and his skin pockmarked. "I guess he figured it would be the proof he needed." I considered for a moment. "He was right, of course."

"One thing I don't get," said Daniel. "If he tried to kill you, why are you waiting for him to wake up?"

"No idea," I said.

"So, why did he blow up your store?" Daniel asked lightly, I looked at him.

"He wanted to get rid of the evidence," I explained, unable to hide the bitterness in my voice.

"What does that mean?" asked Daniel, brow furrowed.

"No idea," I shrugged. "Maybe he didn't want to be incriminated or something."

"Hmmm…" Daniel's frown deepened, and he gazed down at William Gerard, thinking. "Was there anything in your store, anything that could be interesting to someone like him?"

"Books on conspiracy theories?"

"Where am I?"

I blinked and spun around.

William Gerard was awake.

I leaned forward. "You're in the infirmary," I said. "In a secret underground military base that you broke into."

"I did?" said Gerard rather dreamily.

"Yeah," I confirmed. "And you tried to kill me. But I don't hold grudges."

Gerard looked at me. His eyes widened. "Danielle?" he asked in disbelief.

"Daniel," corrected Daniel.

"No," I said. "I think he means the girl's name."

"Why does everybody think I'm a woman?" demanded Daniel.

"I don't think you're a woman," I said.

"Thank you!"

I turned back to the man. "Danielle," I muttered. "What do you mean by Danielle?"

"No," said Gerard, sounding disappointed. "Danielle had blonde hair."

A chill went through my body.

"Do you mean," I hesitated before continuing. "Danielle Darrow?"

He nodded. I closed my eyes.

"Is that your mother?" asked Daniel quietly.

"Yes," I whispered, and opened my eyes again. I looked at Gerard. "You knew my mother?" I asked him.

Gerard stared at me, and blinked slowly. "You're Bridget?" he asked hoarsely. I nodded. He smiled. "The last time I saw you, you were just a little thing."

"I don't remember," I said. After a moment's hesitation, I added. "If you knew them, why did you try to kill me?"

"I did not know who you are," he explained. "And, I was not fully in control of my actions. I am rarely in control anymore."

"What?" Daniel and I both asked at the same time.

"That Orb that fell into your apartment," Gerard scrutinized me carefully. "It downloaded its information into your brain, did it not?"

"Yes," I confirmed.

"The same happened to me," Gerard sat up. "It was the same day your parents left the planet."

I blinked. "My parents-" I started.

"Worked here," Gerard finished for me. "As did I. We were all here that day, your parents, two other scientists, an Airman, and myself. The Stargate activated, and the Orb came through. I was a fool. I told your parents it would be safe. I went into the Embarkation room to pick it up, and when I touched it-"

"You were thrown across the room," I whispered.

"Yes," Gerard's voice was getting raspier as he spoke. "I awoke in the infirmary, a few hours later. I told your parents we must go through the Stargate to find this ship! I told them it was possible to manually dial the Stargate, to get through." he sighed heavily. "They agreed, reluctantly, and we attempted to dial the gate. But we got it wrong. The address was not the right one, and it would not engage."

I looked at Daniel, confused. He quickly explained. "Sam fed your address into the computer to account for planetary shift. It's changed slightly."

"Ah," I said, nodding, though I wasn't really sure what that meant. I turned back to Gerard. "What happened next?" I demanded. "The base stayed locked down for five hours, and my parents never came out. You never came out, come to think of it."

"The Stargate activated again, that day," said Gerard. "I was never sure if the incidents were connected, or if it was simply coincidence. Three men came through, this time, and killed the Airman. Your parents put the base under lockdown, and we attempted to find a way to kill them. But they had weapons we had never seen before. They took your parents, and one of the scientists. They managed to disengage the lockdown, and they dialed the gate again. The other scientist tried to escape out of the base, but one of the men chased him and killed him outside. He came back to the base, and they went through the gate. I was hiding. When the military came in they took me away, and questioned me about what had happened. No one ever believed me." He shook his sadly.

"No one ever told me about you," I said bluntly. Gerard laughed.

"Do you really believe they would have?" he asked, chuckling. "No, and the better you were for it. You would not have needed me in your life. I was driven mad by desire to go to the planet and find that ship. I think it's part of the Orb's programming. It slowly took control of me. There are only few times that I am myself, and only for short periods. Don't you feel it too?" he watched me carefully. "That longing to get there? It will drive you crazy if you don't go."

I stared at him. All this information was too much to take in. My parents…I felt tears prick my eyes.

"My parents are alive?" I asked in hushed whisper.

"As far as I know," confirmed Gerard. He lay back in his bed, and closed his eyes.

"Wait," I said. Gerard cracked open an eyelid. I hurried on. "There was something in my shop, something that you blew up. What was it?"

Gerard coughed. His eyes closed briefly, and then reopened.

"Your Grandmother's search for answers was not entirely fruitless," he rasped. "She knew the truth about me, and spent the last years of her life trying to find me. I thought you may try the same thing. I couldn't have that."

He closed his eyes again. I looked at Daniel.

"Bridget…" he began

"Daniel?"

"Look, I know what you're thinking-"

"Oh Daniel," I said, smiling wryly. "You don't wan to know what I'm thinking."

"Two Orbs?" demanded O'Neill. He held up two fingers. "Two?"

"Yes, Jack," said Daniel, exasperated. "That's what he said."

"Well, can we really trust him?" asked Jack. "I mean, he did try to kill out resident crazy person."

"Thanks!" I said, waving. "I'm in the room!"

We, that is, SG-1 and I, were sitting in the briefing room, with General Hammond, going over what had been revealed to Daniel and me by William Gerard. Sam, Teal'c and Jack had all reacted as expected. Only General Hammond was quiet.

"But wouldn't we know?" asked Sam. "I mean, if another one landed on Earth?"

"If what Bridget Darrow says is true," said Teal'c calmly. "It was covered up by your military."

Every head turned to General Hammond, who sighed.

"General?" prompted Jack.

"It's true," said Hammond reluctantly.

"Sir?" Sam sounded disbelieving.

"It was long before anyone was really interested in the gate," explained the General. "Only a handful of people were working on the project. Miss Darrow's parents were two of them. Dr. Gerard told us what had happened, but…it was so fantastical, we dismissed it as the ravings of a madman. And he did look mad that night. We knew the Stargate had opened, and we thought that perhaps the people on the base that night had gone through. That was before we understood people could only travel one way. Still, when we tried to find Gerard again, he had disappeared."

There was silence in the room.

"It's true?" I whispered. Hammond nodded.

I sat back. Until now, Gerard's story had been doubted in my mind, but the revelation that it was true was so…I wasn't really sure what to think, actually.

"How come we were never told about this?" demanded Jack, a little angrily.

"Because it was none of your concern," replied Hammond.

"They were my parents-" I started, but Hammond stopped me.

"You had no need to know about the Stargate!" He said.

"But-"

"Bridget," Daniel stopped me, and I fell silent, glaring. Daniel looked at Hammond, and around at the rest of his team.

"Look," he said. "We can't do anything about not knowing or not being told now. Actually, this should prove to you how important it is to go to the planet."

"Indeed," Teal'c glanced across the table at me. "It is possible the same thing that happened to Dr. William Gerard will happen to Bridget Darrow."

I looked up suddenly. With all that had happened, this had not occurred to me.

"I think this is more of reason to stay from that planet," said Hammond a little testily.

"WHAT?" I demanded, leaning forward, amid the protests from SG-1.

"That planet could be very dangerous. I cannot allow you to go." Said Hammond

"General-" started Jack, but he was interrupted by Dr. Fraiser walking in.

"General Hammond?" She asked, standing on the staircase.

"Come in, Doctor," Hammond motioned to her.

"What is it?" I asked, a chill creeping up my spine.

"I'm afraid Dr. Gerard is dead," said Dr. Fraiser.

Hope you liked it!