The Anunnaki

by MicheleB

Set just after Season 8, ignoring 99 percent of Seasons 9 and 10. Jack thinks he's going to retire again; the universe has other plans.

25. Chapter 25

Acceptance
Anunnaki Part 25
By Michele
Rating: NC-17 (Nate and…..)
Summary: Nate's POV as he surprises himself, and then finds himself at the end of a knife.

The morning light streamed through the window and he studied the reflections on the wood floor. It had been a while since Nate had felt lost, out of place in the scheme of things. He was feeling it now. He had to continually remind himself that it wasn't really HIS father that died, and it wasn't really HIS niece that died; they were Jack's, and he wasn't Jack. His heart continued to argue with him, just like it argued with him every time a certain geek turned his baby blues in Nate's direction.

Jack had been generous with him, though, including him in their lives lately. He had been stunned when Jack handed Olivia to him and made him her godfather. The rest of the kids had grown so much; Katie was becoming a beautiful young lady. He was a little concerned about her slim form but she was an O'Neill, so he wasn't TOO concerned; he had seen her pack it away at meal times. He expected Matthew to shoot up a few inches by summer. He wouldn't be surprised if Matty ended up 6'2" like them. Everyone had been watching Davy lately; for some reason, he wasn't breaking out in any rashes or having any food issues. All the kids looked like Jack and Michael, had that slim build and dark eyes. No one was going to think twice when the kids called Jack Dad; they looked like him.

The door opened and Cass came in, seeing that he was awake. She laid next to him and wrapped herself into him.

"You ok?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Contemplating the kids. They're so big. They grew up too fast."

"Are you going up to see Maggie this weekend?"

"I don't know," he said. "I think she may want some quiet time. Let her and Michael get themselves together. I'll call her and check in."

"Was she ok with….you?"

"Stunned," he said with a smile. "But that was expected. It got her attention. I'm more worried about Michael. He asked me about it and he wasn't handling it well. He kept trying to find holes by asking me things only Jack would have known. I…Jack had tried pot a few times when he was a teenager, and after Olivia died, Michael went to him and asked for a hit on the bong. Absolutely no one had known that except the two of them. Yeah, Jack could have told me about it, but the subject was so remote, who would have thought to tell me? Michael is spooked."

Cass shook her head. "I'm having a problem with the image of Jack using a bong."

Nate chuckled. "Only a few times," he assured her. "It was the 60's, be thankful that's all he tried. Gave us a headache, though, so it didn't last."

She stroked his hair, looking at him, used to hearing him speak in plurals.

"I was asked out on a date tonight," she said. He turned and looked at her.

"By who?"

"Dean Harper."

Nate's eyes grew wide and he laughed. "If you think Jack wigged out over us…."

"I know," she smiled. "Did you tell him we are no longer a couple?"

"No, not yet," Nate said. "Timing has been so bad, it was non sequitur. I think he was just getting used to us."

"Are you ok with me going out with Dean?" she asked.

"Yeah, sure, he's a good guy. A little old for you, but a good guy."

"He's 35," she said. "Same age difference as Jack and Sam. Besides. He's cute."

He smiled and squeezed her shoulders, pressing his mouth to her forehead.

"Have fun, babe," he said. "Give me some warning, if you bring him home. Does he know I'm still living here?"

"I told him," she said. "He's a little unsure about it, but I told him we're sharing the house, not a bed. He wanted to know how much like Jack you were because he wasn't going to start a threesome with you."

Nate wrinkled his nose. "I don't think so," he said. "Harper can get over himself, he isn't THAT cute."

Nate's mind had been so far from her over the past few months, that they discovered they were friends and not much more. They loved each other, but they weren't IN love. So Nate moved into the spare bedroom. At least Harper was SGC and would know how to handle a Cassandra emergency. The very fact that Nate wasn't jealous, told him that their move was the right decision.

"Ninurta wants to talk with me about something, so I'll be having lunch with him," Nate told her. He was hoping Shara was with him; they always had fun together. Cass frowned.

"What's he want?"

"Don't know. I'll find out."

He met the warrior on campus during his lunch hour. Nate bought them both lunch and found a section of grass to sit on. Ninurta had changed into jeans and a t-shirt for his trip into town. He liked the jeans but complained that they pinched his balls. Kilts were much more logical for men.

"We are expecting to be gone in a couple of months," Ninurta said. "Quite a few of our men have found wives and Aba said our new home is close to being ready for population. It's very close to Earth-like, so we've been stealing a few specimens from your animals and plants. Aba is also tinkering with the DNA of a few extinct species."

"Don't forget insects," Nate told him. "They do have a role to play."

Ninurta nodded as he bit into his sandwich.

"We'd like to begin getting our kids ready for the transition," he said. "We've been very lax with them; getting away with murder, as you would say. We'd like to find someone to teach them. Adults, too, actually. We don't want our society to be uneducated, and unfortunately, we've gone for so long without land under our feet, that many of our warriors have never learned to read much more than directions on the ship."

"That's a full-time job," Nate said, frowning.

"Yes, it is," Ninurta said with a nod. "Which is why we'd like to bring this person with us to our new home."

Nate picked at his rice bowl, thinking.

"I tell you what," Ninurta said, touching Nate on the wrist. "We are setting down for swim time out at White Lake; why don't you come up and play with us for the day?"

"Does Jack know you've been airing out the ship on-ground?" Nate asked with a twitch of an amused eyebrow.

"Of course not," Ninurta said. "That's what cloaks are for. At least until Sam figures out how to get the chair up and running."

After lunch, Nate went to Daniel's classroom and borrowed a book on Sumerian history, much to Daniel's surprised pleasure. Nate wanted to learn more about the Anunnaki's time on their planet. Basic history Nate could deal with, it was the mythology that lost him.

"Hey, Nate."

He turned and saw his friend Grant walking toward him. They knocked paws.

"Would your dad's nose be out of joint if I went to him with a problem?"

"Probably not, he's pretty cool. What's the problem?" He was still getting used to people referring to Jack as his father, but there really wasn't any other way around it.

"Religious crap," Grant said. "I'm getting so much shit from the guys that I can't even concentrate on my work."

Nate frowned. "And the bosses can't help you? You'll catch more shit, if you jump over the entire chain of command."

"I've tried," Grant nodded. "I've talked with all the spiritual leaders, the commanders, and the commandant. I haven't been able to get an appointment with the Super. There are three of us there, that I know of, and we can't even wear our pents. Crosses all over the place, around necks, in dorm rooms, but no pentacles. They mysteriously disappear. And I'm a little tired of prayers before everything. I wouldn't mind so much, if they were alternated between faiths or made nonspecific toward a particular faith. I don't know what else to do. If the US military is Christians only, I want out."

"Did you keep a log of your meetings?"

"Yes," Grant nodded.

Nate took his cell phone out and dialed.

"Hey, you remember my friend Grant? Academy? He's having an issue, can he come over tonight? He already did. Yes, I think so. Thanks." He put the cell away. "You have a meeting at his house tonight at 7. Bring your log. And I'll give you a clue –he appreciates open and honest dialogues, precise and to the point. Don't use big words, or he'll drag Daniel in to translate. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if Daniel was included, once he hears the topic."

After Grant left, Nate called Daniel and hinted to bone up on modern Paganism for a meeting tonight which Jack might be calling him into.

Most of the students and faculty knew of Nate's association with Jack and Daniel, and it wasn't the first time someone came up to him with questions or looking for a juicy story. If Baal couldn't get anything out of him (Jack), why should anyone else? The thought of leaving Earth and colonizing with the Anunnaki was an interesting proposition; they appreciated him for himself and were offering him a chance to use skills that he hadn't in a long time. The leadership knew of his cloned status and didn't seem at all interested in trying to take him apart. Also, Jack was always looking for allies, and Nate would be in a position to set some up for him. It wouldn't be like he'd never see anyone again; they would certainly have gate access, once Enki gave the ok to use the new gate.

On his way to English Lit, a mile tall basketball player was attempting to get a date with a pretty girl. He wasn't taking no for an answer and wouldn't allow her to pass until she agreed. Nate stepped between them.

"Oh, sorry, man," he said, bending down to the fountain for a sip of water. "Cheryl, can I walk you to class?" he asked.

The girl gave a shaky, thankful nod and he put a hand at her back.

"Uh huh, man, I saw her first," the neanderthal declared.

"The lady said no; respect it," Nate returned. The tall young man put a hand out and touched Nate on the arm. A moment later, the player was on the ground and a crowd was gathering.

"No means no," Nate said to the prone player. "And don't touch me; you're not my type."

"Should know better than to fuck with the general's kid," someone muttered from the crowd. There were chuckles as people dispersed, with calls of "May the Force be with you" and "Live Long and Prosper." Most people underestimated Nate; he graduated high school a year ahead, so he still hadn't reached his full growth by the time he entered college. He had his height, but he still needed to put on muscle and another inch or two in the shoulders. The slender build made him wiry, though, and he didn't have Jack's aging knees and back.

More than once, various coaches had tried to recruit Nate to their teams; wrestling, martial arts, shooting, even the swim team, on the assumption that his lithe body would travel well in the water. He refused them all; he had no interest in the swim team, and it wouldn't be fair to everyone else, if he took a place on one of the other teams. If he wanted to wrestle, he'd find a bed partner; martial arts –Teal'c, and he could already out-shoot everyone on the school's team, considering he had Jack's Special Ops training. Besides; if he felt like taking someone down, all he had to do was head over to the gym and play with a few Marines. Matty had begun going to the gym again, now that he was living in town, and Nate was enjoying taking part in his 'nephew's' training, and Katie decided to take out a few frustrations by learning to kick box. It gave Nate a chance to get to know them as, first, cousins, and now as new siblings. He got a different perspective of them then Jack did, and gave him a chance to help them as a peer, rather than a parent.

Harper was waiting in the living room for Cassie when Nate got home. He was a little nervous to see Nate.

"Chill, Dean," Nate said, dumping his books onto the table. "I'm cool with it, I have no plans on getting into your pants, myself, and you have three days to let Jack know you're dating his little girl, then run, because I will tell him and Sam has a zat."

"Jonathan, leave him alone," Cass scolded him as she came down the stairs. She pecked his cheek. "Don't leave your stuff out."

"Yes, ma'am."

Nate grinned as they left; he found it cute when she called him by his full name. She hadn't dared use it on Jack. He could hear Janet's influence on her, and wondered if she recognized it in herself.

He packed a bag and set his alarm clock; he'd need to leave early, if he was going to make it to White Lake at a decent time in the morning. It was a two and a half hour drive. Cassie called and checked in after her dinner and let him know she'd be staying at Dean's house for the evening. He could hear the warmth in her voice and knew she'd be alright, but told her to call him immediately if she needed to be picked up. Nate was her first lover and she was now comfortable with herself. Nate shook his head in bemusement; they had both been nervous when they decided to try it with each other. Nate wasn't virgin territory by the time Cassie surprised him with her request, but she was a virgin. She understood that he was slightly freaked out; he still saw her as a little girl. When he undressed her, though, he was astonished that she was not only a beautiful young woman, but she was a WOMAN. He hadn't wanted to enjoy himself, feeling like an incestuous pedophile, but he did enjoy himself. She came alive in his arms and responded to his touches as he explored her, showing her what her body was capable of. By the time he had lowered himself between her legs, she was gazing up at him with liquid heat pouring from her eyes. She winced slightly at his entrance, but she was as loose as he could get her with just fingers and mouth. He held her and waited until she indicated that she was ready to continue, and he murmured to her, letting her know that it was ok to be vocal, he needed to know what was good and what wasn't. She was a little embarrassed by her own carrying on when she was brought to orgasm, but Nate assured her that it was perfect. He taught her how to pleasure him, was patient, and got her to laugh when she gagged slightly on his semen. She didn't have to do it, if she didn't like it, just tell him. She got used to it and learned to enjoy it. It was an acquired taste.

Cassie called in the morning to let him know she was alright. He could hear the smile in her voice and he relaxed. He would have shot Harper himself, if he had hurt Cassie. He told her he was going out of town for the day and to call the Parents if she needed anything.

By the time Nate got to the lake, there were quite a few people splashing naked in the water. Children and cubs were running everywhere. There was a large, open field near the lake, large enough for the Heaven's Bow, if one could see her. From the bent grass, he assumed the ship was parked and he'd get a lump on his head if he walked into the 'empty' field.

His attention was taken by the stunning beauty walking naked from the water, wringing her long black hair as the sun glistened from her dusky, moist skin. She was perfectly proportioned, an athletic body, full breasts sloping into teardrops with water dripping from her dark rose nipples. With a start, he realized he was staring at Inanna. A hand clapped him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry, she still effects us that way," Shara said. Nate picked his jaw up from the ground. Shara was wearing only his leather kilt, the rest of him was bare and glistening in the sun. What the hell? Nate asked himself.

"Holy crap," Nate breathed. "I had no idea what was hiding under those leathers."

"What's his problem?" Ninurta asked, coming over. Shara jerked his chin and Ninurta looked. "Ah. Yes. Glory in all her perfection."

"I now understand some of that poetry that's been written about her," Nate said, slightly embarrassed by his teenage body's reaction. Sometimes the surging hormones got the better of him.

"The day was favorable for her,
she was clothed with beauty,
was filled with joyous allure,
How she carried her beauty,
-like the rising moonlight!
My Queen garbed in allure,
O Inanna, praise!"

Shara murmured the end praise after Ninurta completed the recitation.

"Hell, yes, I'll praise," Nate commented. The men laughed and walked with him toward the group. Nate shook himself as he realized he was staring at Shara's naked chest and thinking how perfectly formed IT was.

"How are you, Nate?" Shara asked.

"Hmm?"

"You. It's been a while since you spent your evening with Paul," Shara gently reminded him. "Are you still alright?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Nate nodded. "No flash-backs, no nightmares. I think it worked."

"And can you admit to enjoying it?" Shara asked with a smile. Nate flushed.

"Yes, I can" he said, lifting his chin daringly. "I'm not out trolling for guys, but Paul was pleasant company for the evening."

"Good," Shara chuckled.

Nate discovered that he was the only person with clothing on, once Shara and Ninurta dropped their leather and jumped into the lake. He wasn't comfortable bearing all with the children around, yet he would be the only one wearing any clothing at all if he put his trunks on.

"Binu, just drop the clothing," Enki said, sunning himself. He was surprisingly fit, for an old man. "Our kids don't have much of a concept of modesty, we lost it long ago due to the tight quarters on the ship. They won't even blink at your bare butt."

Nate took a deep breath, and a clue from Daniel, and went with the flow. The clothing fell off.

"Good boy," Enki said. "Now go take a dip and come back. The water is nice. It is slightly chilled, so we will take that into consideration."

The lake was in a remote section of the mountains where it could be gotten to only by back roads and knowledgeable turns. Jack had camped there several times and hiked through the area. The lake had supplied many a meal. It was a fairly small lake and could be hiked around in less than a day. The lake was indeed chilly as Nate discovered when he dove in and his balls tried to snake back inside.

"N't!"

He saw a cub making her way toward him and he waited for her. It was a little hard with all the flattened wet fur, but he was pretty sure it was K'Van; she had a white streak down the bridge of her small nose and violet colored eyes shining from dark, golden fur. Her father was L'Ton, one of the old-time Sua from the ship. K'Van was a couple years older than T'Keet, about the size of a five year old human child. She should be the next in line to enter adulthood in just a couple more years. Nate caught her.

"Tossss," she demanded. He lifted her to his shoulders and she jumped off. She popped back to the surface, hooting and demanding more.

"Say please," he told her.

"Pleeeezzz!"

He played diving board again.

Nate was wiped out before the kids were. The eleven Anunnaki kids were between 10 and 16. Nate had discovered that they were on the ship when it phased out because they were apprentices in different departments. Apprenticeship began for them at 10, in between household duties and civic duties when they were on the ground. They learned their adult skills in a hands-on method which the Anunnaki felt was a better way than sitting on their butts for twelve or more years. Nate wasn't sure how he felt about that, considering that he, too, learned better when it was hands-on training. At least the Anunnaki combined the training with other skills such as basic reading, writing, and arithmetic. Not all children would grow up to be warriors; other skills were needed to run a village, and even warriors needed to know how to read and calculate their instruments. With them in limbo until Enki had their new home ready, the children were beginning to get a wild streak. They needed their brains exercised.

They moaned when he declared he needed a break, so he dug into his bag and gave each child a homemade flash card with a number and an item on it. He told them to bring him what was on the card, and he'd give a candy bar to each one who got it right. Children flew into the nearby field and trees. Nate collapsed onto his towel.

"What did you tell them?" Ninurta asked with a chuckle. He was lying on a blanket, browning his already bronze skin. Nate felt whiter than snow next to the bronze-skinned Anunnaki, and he had a decent tan.

"I sent them on a scavenger hunt," Nate said. "It was for my own sanity."

Most of the warriors were playing some sort of game nearby. It involved a ball, but Nate had never seen the game before. He wasn't picking up the rules; it seemed to be arbitrary. There must be rules, though, because every once in a while, the men would stop and argue. The three female warriors, other than Inanna, were relaxing on blankets nearby. Sululi, Taylia, and Tabua, if he remembered correctly. The oldest of the teen girls went over to them and sat down. Adia.

"Ah, that one," Shara murmured, following Nate's eyes. "Betwixt and between."

"What do you mean?" Nate asked.

"She wants so much to be a woman; she is, according to our laws, but she won't take a lover."

"Why?"

"She views us all as fathers, uncles, and brothers," Shara said. "Another problem which I hope will be rectified once we are settled. She knows she is welcome to our pillows whenever she wants. We would be gentle with her. She does take comfort with her sisters, and we considered that maybe she prefers her own gender, but she says not."

"Is she afraid?" Nate asked.

"She says not," Shara said with a shrug. "Ah, well, she will approach someone when she is ready."

"It's been interesting being a teenager," Nate told them. "I know in my head that I'm a 55 year old man, but society sees the 18 year old kid. A serious lack of respect comes with that. I…Jack was a Colonel when he was cloned. I have all that knowledge and experience inside of me, but not too many people take me seriously. Is Adia taken seriously? Is she respected for who she is? I understand that you need women to continue your race, but maybe Adia is feeling the pressure and is refusing to participate. At least until she has had time to make a name for herself and to find herself outside the needs of her society."

Even Enki was looking at him thoughtfully.

"Do you have a suggestion?" Inanna asked. She was on her stomach and pushed her hair out of her face as she raised her head to look at him.

Nate shrugged. "Not really," he said. "I don't know enough about your society to even hazard a guess as to what could be going on beneath her skin. If she were one of my kids, though, I'd say she didn't have enough to do. She could be bored, feeling under-utilized as a person, her femininity being focused on instead of her skills. What has she been trained in?"

"Warrior skills," Inanna said.

"What are her hobbies?"

"I don't know," Inanna admitted.

"She spends a lot of time in hydroponics," Gibil told them.

"Well, if she has an interest in plants, why is she being trained as a warrior?" Nate asked.

"Because we don't need another gardener," Ninurta said.

"If it were me, I'd be feeling resentful," Nate told them. "Is there someone in hydroponics that would maybe like to be someplace else? Don't you cross-train your people? What if there was an accident and everyone who knew about hydroponics was killed?"

"Kandel is often helping in healing," Gibil said thoughtfully. "Perhaps Gula can train him, if he'd like, and Adia can learn hydroponics."

Ninurta patted Nate on the back. "See?" he asked. "You are teaching us already."

"Come on," Nate said with a laugh. "All these thousands of years, and it never occurred to you to cross-train anyone?"

"Not really," Ninurta said with a shrug. "You need to understand; most of our positions are handed down through family ties. Why would it occur to us to cross-train someone whose family has always done, say, carpentry? Inanna's parents were rulers before her, this is what she has been trained to do. Gibil's father was a blacksmith, Shara's father was part of Nanna's forces before Nanna was killed, Aba has trained me to replace him, if I need to. Adia's father is Kadash, there with the black band on his left arm; her mother was killed in an accident when Adia was small. Balti was happy with her crops. Perhaps Adia would have been better served in hydroponics. Hashduk, we may have made a mistake."

"Let's talk with Adia first," Inanna told him. "If she wants the change, we will grant it."

Children came running back and they all stood proudly in front of Nate, holding out handfuls of stuff. Pinecones, acorns, and other seedlings. He had them each count out their treasures and handed out candy bars to the winners. He sent the others out to try again.

"What does hashduk mean?" Nate asked. He had unobtrusively looked the children over; they were clean and looked healthy and well-fed. They were obviously loved, seeing the warriors patting heads and faces with kind smiles of their own. If the children needed anything, it was the influence of a mother to even out the wild, masculine behaviors which even the girls had.

"Beloved," Ninurta said with a smile, answering Nate's question and bending down to kiss Inanna's shoulder. "She is my beloved unto eternity."

"Don't get him started," Gibil said to Nate. "He'll start composing poetry and sing it at the top of his voice, no matter how bad it is. The poem, that is; he has a nice voice."

"You are jealous," Ninurta accused him. "You couldn't compose a poem if it bit you on the ass."

The fight was on and it landed them in the water. It didn't seem to occur to either of them that they were in the water as they kept wrestling with each other.

"Will they drown?" Nate asked. The others seemed unperturbed by it.

"No, they're just playing," Enki assured him with a smile. "They'll get turned on and end up…. Yep."

Ninurta and Gibil began kissing and they fell to the shore. Shara, Enki, and Inanna laughed. Nate looked around. None of the children paid the slightest attention to the men. More children came running back to Nate and showed him their treasures; he rewarded the correct returns and helped the few left who did not understand. He showed the curious adults what he did with the cards.

"So they are learning to count and read at the same time," Shara said, looking through the cards. He nodded. "Interesting. I hadn't thought of this. And it is certainly keeping them occupied." For some reason, Nate was pleased that Shara approved.

"My s….Jack's son, Charlie, had a little problem with numbers, so Jack made him flash cards like this," Nate told him.

"Nate, you're having a problem separating yourself from Jack, aren't you?" Enki asked.

"Sometimes," Nate nodded. "It's why I decided to teach instead of enlisting. Change of world-view."

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Enki asked softly.

Nate felt his eyes prickling as he nodded.

"Then come with us," Enki invited. "There will be nothing on Kalam that will associate you with him. Once I unlock our gate, you can visit anytime and then return to a home where no one will compare you to him. You can begin again, become a new person. If you want to separate yourself from Jack, you need to step as far outside Jack's box as you can. Tell me; is the person Jack is now, the person he wanted to be when he was 18?"

"No," Nate admitted. "Jack wasn't as uptight at 18 as he is now. I've tried relaxing, and to an extent I'm a hell of a lot more relaxed than he is, but I still have his memories as though they were my own."

"Then make your own memories, son," Enki advised him. "You have a long life ahead of you, make the most of it. I have a recommendation on where to start; words have power. Names have an energy of their own. Nate is a good name, but it is the name of a boy. Why not make peace with Jonathan? Jonathan was a man even a king could love."

Nate looked at him thoughtfully. "We never did like Jonathan. I'll think about it."

No, they never did like Jonathan. It was a square name, someone who was expected to wear large glasses, high-water pants, and a pocket protector. Abruptly, the image of Michael Landon from Little House came to mind, as well as the father of Clark Kent. Both men were rural farmers, strong, yet kind, each had a strong sense of right and wrong, and both taught their children those ethics as well as teaching them to love.

"What would I do on…Kalam? Not Abydos?" he asked.

"The Abydonians are gone," Enki said. "We will remember their spirit and set up a tribute to them. In the history of Earth, Abydos is important and should not be forgotten. As for what you will do; we'd mainly like for you to be the teacher of our children. You can manage your own land, if you wish, raise cattle, be a warrior. Your memories of Jack's knowledge of battle will be praised and you would be asked to sit on the war council. You can do whatever you'd like. And the gate will be open, so you can travel, if you'd like to do that, too. We aren't stranded there, we have a ship and a gate."

"I'm thinking about it," Nate admitted to him. "Ninurta told me a little."

A couple of the female warriors had begun nuzzling each other and laughing. Adia kept looking Nate's way; she was caught by his hair which had begun to dry and blow slightly in the warm breeze. Black hair was the main color, but a few of the crew had other colors. The rich, heady scent of musk kept drifting over him and he found himself taking deep breaths every time it came his way. He looked around. The only person next to him on his right was Shara, laying prone beneath the warm sun. Nate excused himself and pulled his shorts on; if he didn't walk it off, he was going to embarrass himself. The women were enough to get him going, all of them beautiful and fit, but his reactions to Shara were beginning to concern him. Nate didn't know what was going on; even when various Anunnaki came into town for visits, it was Shara that Nate was drawn toward. The man was soft spoken, yet his voice commanding, and even when he was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, people stopped dead in their tracks to look at him. Nate had seen females from 12 to 80 stop and watch Shara walk by. Even a few men had stopped to stare. It was always Shara that seemed to be concerned with what was inside people, and took the time to ask after well-being. Nate was beginning to wonder if he WAS bisexual, and maybe it was something Jack had tramped down for so long that he no longer saw it. With a strong Irish-Catholic family, and then military, it would certainly make sense for Jack to deny it. Nate would have to examine those memories more closely. A few times when Nate had jerked off, Shara's form unexpectedly appeared. Nate had put it down to aberration and associating with Jack and Daniel who couldn't seem to keep their hands off each other.

"Binu, are you alright?"

He turned to see the subject of his wanderings behind him.

"You've seemed a little pre-occupied today," Shara said. He had put his kilt back on, Nate was thankful to see.

"What does binu mean?" Nate asked.

"Son," Shara answered with a soft smile. "Would you like to learn our language?"

"I'm sure I'll pick it up, if I go with you," Nate said.

"More than likely. Is there something on your mind?" Shara asked with a quizzed look. "You can talk to me, you know. If there are any concerns about moving with us, or your place in our society, just ask. You will be welcomed, and an important member of our society. And we would make you part of our family; you will not go without."

"Thank you, I appreciate that," Nate said. He sat down, his back up against a rock. "I'm not sure what's on my mind, actually. A lot of things. There have been so many changes lately, that I don't even know where to look for a center."

Shara nodded thoughtfully and sat.

"May I ask something?" he asked. Nate nodded. "Would you like to kiss me?"

Nate stared at him.

"I only ask because I have noticed you looking at me," Shara said. "You would not be unwelcome, if you wish to lay with me."

"I'm sorry," Nate said, looking at the ground. "I'm not sure why I've been looking at you."

"Maybe it's time to find out. If I steal a kiss, are you going to hit me?" Shara asked with an amused smile. Nate shook his head with a nervous jerk. It suddenly occurred to him that he was in the same position as Jack was when Daniel kissed him. And it wasn't like he hadn't kissed a man before…. Did Paul count? Someone who was comfortable and an experiment? He wasn't actually attracted to Paul, but Shara had definitely, and unexpectedly, turned him on.

He had been trying all morning to avoid looking down at Shara's thick organ hanging proudly from a bed of black hair. Since Daniel was the only man who had affected him this way, Nate was feeling a little off-balance. Nate watched the warrior lean in and fought the panic, reminding himself that he did actually have fun with Paul, once he relaxed, and he was most definitely attracted to Daniel. He supposed Shara could be considered handsome, he was always clean, he kept his beard trimmed close to his face, his body didn't have an ounce of fat on it, was all hard warrior muscle….. lips touched his. Nate forced himself to chill with another reminder that he did enjoy it before.

Shara's kiss was as soft as his voice and Nate allowed himself to return the kiss. It was strange, the feel of a beard against his face, but the kiss was nice and Shara's lips were sweet. Nate discovered that his hand had a mind of its own as it slid up and into Shara's hair. He opened his mouth at the touch of a questing tongue and heard a low moan, and realized that it came from his own throat. A hand caressed one nipple as Shara lifted his head.

"Do you wish to stop?" he asked. "I'd like to make love with you but only if you are willing. This is not dependent upon you joining our colony, I simply wish to enjoy this with you."

"I've only been with one man for one night," Nate confessed. "I'm not counting Jack's past."

"I know, didila," Shara said, giving Nate's face a stroke. "I will be gentle with you, and you can stop anytime you wish."

"I don't want you to be gentle," Nate heard himself saying. "I can't even get women to take me seriously, they only see the kid. Make me feel it."

"This body may be young," Shara said, sliding his hand down Nate's stomach to cup the growing mound between his legs. Nate covered the hand with his and kept it there. "But your soul is ancient and well-traveled. And you do have a soul of your own; your mind and body can be duplicated, your soul cannot. You are your own person, giru, don't ever doubt that."

"What's giru?"

Shara smiled. "Dear."

He slid his arms around Shara and pulled the man to him. A muscled warrior in his arms was strange but he suddenly found himself with a hole in the center of his chest and needed it filled. A warm, glowing light became hotter and hotter and filled the space in his chest. The brightness was good and enveloped him in a pure love that he hadn't felt in a long time, not since the day Jack fell in love with a baby boy. Nate found himself bared and laid out on the forest floor, a strong, hardened hand exploring him as sweet lips devoured his mouth and moved down his neck. His nipples were paid attention to as the hand slid under his balls. Nate moved a leg and the hand pressed against him, the palm firmly massaging his opening. He jerked his head back and groaned.

"Oh, Christ, that feels good," he moaned. Shara slid down and took Nate into his mouth. He sucked at the foreskin, sliding his tongue underneath, making Nate quiver and moan and thankful that he took the time to keep himself clean. He lifted Nate's legs and Nate cried out as his ass was kissed and sucked and gently nibbled. A tongue slid in, claiming him, and he cried out again, almost whimpering at how good it felt. He was sometimes pissed that his body wasn't done growing, so he felt small in the warrior's arms; at the same time, he could say he had never felt more the center of anyone's universe than he did as Shara pleasured him into release. Shara drank up the white pool on Nate's stomach and sucked the rest out of his cock. Nate was no expert at it, but he brought Shara up and took the large cock into his mouth. Part of him was scared to even consider taking it in his ass, and yet another part was crying out for it. They needed lube. It would have to wait. He listened as Shara gave a few patient instructions and he soon had a mouthful of bitter-sweet milk.

Shara gave a breathless chuckle and sat back against the rock, taking Nate with him. Nate straddled his lap and licked at Shara's mouth, tasting himself. Large hands caressed his back, down to handle his ass and then up, squeezing his shoulders and carding his hair.

"You are beautiful, didila," Shara told him.

"I'm not," Nate said. "I'm still a skinny teenager. And have you seen Jack lately? That's what I'm growing into; an old codger with gray hair and wrinkles."

Shara smiled and took a lock of hair to his nose. "Beautiful is the only word to describe you," he said. "The man is on the inside, and that man has a beautiful heart. When the heart glows, so does the outside. You have taken steps to change yourself, to separate from Jack, so don't compare yourself to him. Sure, he'd be welcome in any of our beds, especially Ninurta's, but it is you that I want."

Nate studied the face inches away from his. He touched the beard, shaved close, giving Shara a slightly pirate look. "Am I going to have sex with the others?" he asked.

"If you'd like," Shara told him. "That's up to you. Because of our life-span, we had to put aside jealousy long ago; we would have killed each other, if we didn't. I am Ninurta's consort. He knows I have an interest in you, and I have his blessing to pursue you. We are in Inanna's household, so I am welcome in her bed, also. I have taken many partners, but I am usually with Ninurta, Inanna, Gibil, or Erra. He is Ereshkigal's but our households are close. Sometimes Aba joins us."

"Enki?" Nate leaned back to look clearly at him. "Isn't he Ninurta's father?"

"Yes," Shara said, amused. "But remember our age. Over this much time, those boundaries tend to disappear. You need not sleep with anyone you don't wish to. Aba is an excellent lover, though. This also does not preclude you from taking a wife."

Nate absently explored the hard chest as he thought. "What about sexually transmitted diseases?" he asked.

"One of Aba's tricks," Shara said with a shrug. "We don't need to worry about those. I can't remember the last time one of us was sick with anything, including a cold."

"Really? Is that something he can give us? We have so many sick people; millions are dying from AIDS, HepB…"

"You see?" Shara said, cupping Nate's face. "Beautiful. And if you haven't noticed, you think more like Daniel, than you do Jack."

"Daniel was my main influence when I decided to do everything I could to separate myself from Jack," Nate said. "Jack is a good man. A good person. He can be a little single-minded, at times, though, so I've tried to balance that with Daniel." It took him a damned long time to shut Jack up and force himself to start countering him with Daniel. He read one book after another until he began to absorb what he was reading. He still had a problem with more complex words, but at least he was learning to think with his heart, something that was shut off by years of blood and guts. He noticed that Jack was starting to learn, too, thanks to Sam and Daniel being in his house 24/7.

"Jack is military," Shara commented. "He's a proper warrior. Consider, though, my love; is it proper for the planet if everyone were completely healthy and lived a long life? What would they learn if their mistakes were wiped away without them learning from those mistakes?"

Nate slid off and to the side. "That isn't a fair question."

"Isn't it? How will this race grow to join the Asgard if they are not made to fight for it? You already have the weapons necessary to wipe out the entire planet in one stroke, and yet what advances have you made in medicine? Seems to me, the Earth herself is making decisions, since her guardians are ignoring her needs. You have been a father, through Jack; what would happen if you gave your child everything he wanted, without making him earn it or even recognize consequences?"

Nate leaned back against the rock and pulled his knees up, wrapping his arms around them. "He would become spoiled and unappreciative of the gifts he is given," Nate admitted.

"He would break his toys and scream until someone replaced the toys," Shara said. "Is that what you want?"

"No," Nate shook his head.

"Then teach the children of Earth by example; you have earned your place, you know the value of life. Remember; we cannot assist you as a race, the Tau'ri must make it on their own. We will assist with small things, but not the big things."

When they got back to the main group, the others took one look at Nate and teased him.

"Leave him be," Shara admonished them.

"Is it official, love?" Ninurta asked him, placing a kiss on his neck.

"I'm considering it," Nate responded with a lift of his chin. "Whether or not I want to get involved with your raggedy ass, is another matter." Good-natured howls went to Ninurta.

Shara continued to flirt with Nate as they sat talking with the others. Sex under the sun seemed to be the order of the day, so no one cared that Nate had a constant semi-hard on. No one seemed to find it unusual when Shara went down on Nate in front of everyone. Shara's touch left Nate weak and wanting more; he didn't care when someone placed their lips on his or explored his nipples. Shara turned them over and Nate found himself on top of him, rubbing their genitals together.

"Do you want him, giru?" Ninurta asked in his ear.

"Oh, God, yes," Nate breathed. A hand reached under him and he felt lubed fingers enter him. He lay forward, resting on Shara's wide chest, kissing him as he was gently stretched.

"Sit up," Ninurta said, caressing his back. "I know you have only been with Paul, so you lead the way. Reach below and take him in hand, and you guide him into you, take him at your own pace." Nate was relieved that he wasn't going to be bent over and stuck with that pole. He slowly lowered himself onto Shara, wincing at the large hardness attempting to enter him. Ninurta leaned in front of him and sucked him. Nate groaned and found himself opening up and lowering himself further. Before he knew it, he was all the way down. It was difficult to slid up and down, so Nate discovered that if he rocked back and forth, his prostate was hit just nicely. Shara caressed where he could reach as Ninurta continued to suck him. The penis in him was slightly painful, Nate was sure he had a few tears, but he didn't care; he had never felt anything so good before and when Shara came in him, he felt coated in love.

When he got back into town, he stopped for something to eat. His romping had taken any excess calories he had roaming around his body, and he was starving. On his way into the restaurant, a dart hit him in the stomach and he fell. When Nate came to, his vision was blurry and there were voices from across a room.

"…but how?" someone asked in astonishment. "Look at that; he's a perfect copy. Finger-prints and DNA. I mean, when? Where? What kind of equipment? Did they use a woman or was he tanked?"

Nate bit off a curse. Someone fingered him. His vision was clearing and he saw that he was in a sterile room and strapped tightly to a table. From the chill of his skin, he assumed he was naked.

"No cavities," someone else said. "Not one filling or crown. Luck or engineering?"

"Probably engineering," a third voice said. "O'Neill does have fillings, also a couple of pins and crowns. Here, look." The sound of something plastic…. "See? From the sites, I'd say a fist or two hit him."

Someone snorted. "Consider his records; pick a planet or war zone. Soldiers get their teeth knocked out all the time. Our subject has never even had a broken bone, much less a tooth knocked out. No scars, either, just a couple of acne spots on his back. Penis is uncut, which is different from O'Neill, according to his birth records. Vasectomy is fairly recent; I wonder why it was done? Who the hell would do a snip on a teenager? And why can't we find his medical records?" calm and logical asked, clearly irritated at the non-answers.

"His stomach contained semen," gravely voice said in amusement. "His ass has been well-used today, too. Something for 'Dad' to wig out about."

"Please," whiner said. "O'Neill is sleeping with Jackson; I'm sure he knows what semen tastes like, as well as having his ass rammed."

"Do you believe they're sleeping together or is it a myth? Personally, I think it's bullshit," gravely voice said. "If I were married to Col. Carter, I'd never leave my bed."

A few rude Carter comments went around.

"The semen from his stomach was from different donors, and was slightly unusual in its genetic composition," the more logical voice said. "It was human, but there was something; I'm not sure what it is. I'm wondering if he's seeing those aliens."

Nate considered that; Shara was human, but Enki did tinker with his genes to extend his life. The sound of feet came closer.

"According to the EEG, you are awake, kid, so quit faking it," he was told.

Nate opened his eyes. The man staring down at him was in blue scrubs. He had never seen the man before.

"I don't suppose you'd consider telling me where I am and who you are?" Nate asked.

"No and no," the man said. It was the one with the calm, logical voice. "But you may call me Dr. O."

"Well, Dr. No, you do realize that a lot of pissed off people will be looking for me and not all of them will be human."

"Dr. O, wise-ass," the humorless man said with a frown. "And they can look all they want, they won't find us. In the meantime, you can start answering questions. Where did you come from? Who made you, and how."

"Minnesota, Jack O'Neill and a bar floozy named Nadine, in the usual method. Some kissing, fooling around, penis gets hard, goes into a vagina…"

The man reached for a needle from a nearby table. "Ok, the hard way," he sighed. Nate reached for Jack's anti-interrogation training and found himself looking at a candle in his mind. He fell into kel'no'reem, thankful that Daniel encouraged him to work at it.

Nate woke up an unknown time later. His head was splitting and he really needed to rinse the fuzz from his mouth. The room was quiet. He tried to lift his head, could see that he was indeed naked and strapped down, but didn't get much further. He had an IV in his arm and from the feel of things, his dick was cathetered. The room was filled with diagnostic equipment and seemed like an operating room. He hoped things wouldn't get that far.

The door opened and the good-humor man came back in.

"Well, I don't know how you did it, kid, but I'd rather not have to break out the scalpels and knives; so medieval." The man walked around checking readings on the instruments.

"Didn't find what you wanted?" Nate asked, his voice hoarse. "Maybe there's nothing to find." He didn't say anything….. It worked.

"Your finger-prints and your DNA are an identical match to O'Neill's," the man told him. "One hundred percent identical. An impossibility. Not even an identical twin is a perfect match on finger-prints. So, the billion dollar question is –who are you?"

"Jonathan O'Neill. Junior. Nate. One Jack O'Neill is more than enough; ask his wife and consort. And if you're implying that I am somehow Jack's twin, you didn't pass your math courses; he's 37 years older than me. Grandma is good, but she isn't that good. Makes a mean cookie, though…." Where the hell was the calvary?

"Why do you call him by his name, instead of Dad?" Dr. O asked, curious.

"He's funny that way."

"Well, I'll level with you, kid; I believe that, somehow, you are not his son. You are his clone. I know that cloning experiments haven't gone anywhere near the level of sophistication that would be needed to create you, so why don't you make it easy on yourself and tell me what I want to know?"

"Are you on crack?" Nate asked, giving the man his best incredulous stare. "Man, get away from me until you've returned to reality."

"Not even an aspirin," the man said, raising a boy-scout hand. "If I have to scrape together every single piece of DNA from your body to get my answers, I will. I'm sure your hypothalamus is VERY interesting. Of course, I would need to peel your brain apart like an onion to get at it."

"I'll bet you say that to all the boys, you sweet-talker, you. Be gentle with me, though, or my boyfriend will beat the shit out of you. Actually, let me loose and I'll take you on, myself."

Dr. O chuckled. "I think I'll keep you strapped down; I'm aware of your training. I don't know what that practice is the military is doing at the SGC gym, but I'm impressed. Why do you think we used darts to get you, instead of jumping you? All you need to do is tell me who made you and how."

"Listen, guy, if you've never had sex, that isn't my problem…."

A scalpel was taken off the table and gently run down the middle of Nate's chest. A small red line appeared.

"How about a circumcision?" he asked, tapping the knife against Nate's penis. "Not very clean, an uncut dick. Not even a local, we'll just do it."

"Since you're not the one sucking on it, I'll let my boyfriend tell me if he wants it cut," Nate said. "He hasn't complained, so far, and from what he was doing with it earlier, I'm not complaining, either. How long have I been here, by the way? I was supposed to call him."

"You've been here two days," the doctor said. Nate was startled. Maybe no one had noticed he was missing? Surely Cass, at least, would worry when he didn't come home.

"I'm not the only one who has noticed your likeness to the General," Dr. O said, picking up a file and leafing through it, taping pages with the knife. "Not that there are many pictures of you out there. Funny; they seem to disappear as quickly as someone takes the shot. Not even a yearbook shot. When I had your history checked out, though, no one seems to have remembered you even being born."

"I was kinda sprung on him," Nate said. "He didn't know about me until a couple years ago."

"Yes, so I understand," the man said. "And yet, you can keep up with Air Force, Army, and Marines in combat training, something that took O'Neill how many years? Thirty-six? Thirty-seven? Watching you has been interesting. I'm missing something, and I do wish you'd fill in the blanks."

The scalpel dug into Nate's chest and he screamed as a strip of flesh was carved from him. The doctor calmly placed it into a jar and sealed it, setting it aside.

"One strip at a time," he told Nate. "The human genome has been unraveled. I wonder what I will find of interest, once I start matching you up to the rest of us."

"Fucking freak!" Nate shouted, tears of pain falling from his face as he struggled against his bonds. A warm liquid ran down his chest.

"Ah, but who exactly is the freak here?"

An identical strip was taken from the other side of Nate's chest and he screamed again.

"It's red, that's something at least. I think many humans are actually disappointed that the aliens are humanoid instead of green or any other color."

Before the doctor could say anything more, the door burst open.

"HomeWorld Security! FREEZE!"

Nate sagged back to the table in relief. Reynolds. Dr. O was surrounded by military who were none too gentle with him as they threw him to the floor and cuffed him. Through Nate's pain blurred vision, a familiar face appeared. Jack touched him on the head as he looked Nate over while shouldering his P-90.

"Ok?" he asked. Nate sniffed, coughed, and nodded. Jack took the catheter out of Nate, wincing in sympathy, and unbuckled the straps holding him down. He touched the radio at his shoulder. "Col. Caldwell, beam him directly to sick bay!" Nate found himself on the Daedalus for only a moment before blacking out.

When he woke up, another IV was in his arm, but this one was delivering pain medication, if that floating sensation was any indication. He hoped someone read his SGC medical records.

"Don't worry, it isn't morphine." Nate turned his head to see Jack sitting next to him. "You're on the Daedalus, you've been here for just over 15 hours. You'll have scars on your chest, but they fixed you up pretty good. You have small puncture wounds on various parts of your body, they should heal well, and bone marrow was taken so your hip may be a little sore, too. You got blood from me; you were a little low."

"Thanks," Nate whispered. Jack stood and took a cup from the table, holding the straw for Nate to sip. "Not to complain, but why'd it take so long?"

"No one knew you were missing," Jack said. "Nick is kicking himself for being out of town at the time, Cass is feeling as guilty as hell for not coming home and noticing you were gone, and it wasn't until Shara couldn't find you, that we knew something was up. Nate, Shara?? I don't know what I'm more astonished about; Cassie and Harper or you and Shara. No one tells me anything. So, Inanna traced you through your tag. I didn't let her beam you out because we needed to be able to convict whoever took you. I'm sorry we didn't get in any sooner."

Nate shook his head. "Will that crazy bastard be convicted?"

"Yes, he will," Jack nodded. "The files he made of you are being doctored by our best, and all physical specimens have been zatted. I wanted to zat that asshole and his cronies out of existence, but Daniel said we couldn't start playing God by becoming dictators."

"He's right," Nate nodded. He was beginning to feel exhausted. "Is Cass alright?"

"She's fine," Jack assured him. "I will beat the shit out of Harper when everything is back to normal, but I have to admit that he stood by her through this."

"He's a good man, Jack, leave him alone."

"I didn't say he wasn't a good man, but he's 35 and he's sleeping with our Cassandra."

"What's the age difference between you and Sam?"

Jack scowled and then noticed that Nate was losing consciousness again.

"I'm leaving, now that you're alright," Jack told him. "Shara is pacing the halls like a lovesick calf; I'll send him in to look after you before he eats the crew for lunch. Shara???" Jack shook his head, patted Nate, and left the room.

Nate was out again by the time Shara came in, checked him over, and sat next to him, guarding him.