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.

29. Chapter 29

Foot in Mouth Disease
Anunnaki Part 29
By Michele
Rating: PG
Summary: Jack sticks his foot in it, Enki is being sneaky, Zu and Erra return in time for a snowball fight, and Jack has a talk with a few people about the proposed alliance.

The Las Vegas contingent trooped in by lunch the next day. There was a knock at Jack's door and he bid the person to enter. Nicky stuck his head in the door.

"Mind if I come in?" he asked. Jack shook his head and gestured toward a chair. Nick came in and shut the door. He paced a little, rubbing his hands together. "Was it…scary? Your first time, I mean?"

Jack's eyebrows went up. "I'm going to make an assumption as to the topic," he said. Nick's eyes went wide.

"Oh, God, I'm sorry," he said, slightly horrified. "That was so rude. My momma would have smacked me upside the head and reminded me of my manners. Please forget I asked. I'll just….," he made for the door.

"Nick, Nick, sit down," Jack waved at him and tossed a pen down. "Believe me, the kids have asked questions that were even more personal. Loving him wasn't scary, it was the sex that was scary. At first. I had an issue, though; I was a POW for a while, and I was repeatedly raped. Once Daniel helped me get past that, I haven't had a problem. Sex with him is great. Addictive. He's addictive. Did you at least talk to him?"

"With Daniel?" Nick asked in confusion.

"Gil."

Nick's brow cleared. "Oh. No, sir, I haven't," he confessed. "If he says no, I'll lose everything."

"If he says yes, you'll gain even more," Jack countered. "Nick, I promise you; he's in love with you. He feels unworthy of anyone's love. I don't know why, but that's what I'm getting off of him."

Nick sat back and looked at him.

"How do you do that?" he asked. "How do you know how someone is feeling?"

Jack sighed. "I'm not sure. It's sorta new and I'm paying dearly for it. Just trust me on it. I can tell you that Catherine feels like a big sister to you and Dr. Robbins is a bit like an uncle to you; he respects you and feels great affection for you. Both of them are open minded, neither will reject you, or Gil, if it happens. They'll probably be a little shocked, but they'll support you."

Lunch was called and the kids were fed before the adults took their turn. Catherine fed Olivia as Dr. Robbins looked on with an experienced paternal eye. As Jack expected, the lunchtime conversation revolved around dead aliens and various injuries involving alien technology. Everyone showed off scars to the interested doctors. The conversation evolved into current allies and the state of the galaxy. Their guests all commented on the televised report the day before. Jack didn't mention the conversation after the interview, not the private computer conference with various leaders from around the world who wanted more in depth details of what had happened and why he chose aliens for his war council and especially why his teenage son.

"Why not?" Jack had asked. "I'm an alien to them, and they trusted me to lead the damned thing." He didn't comment on Jonathan's inclusion.

Sam led them out into the living room as they talked. Daniel was holding a different discussion with Nick and they went down into Daniel's den. Olivia started to fuss, so Jack took her, hearing the "change me now!" tone in her voice. He stuck his head out his door, caught Grissom's eye, and jerked his head. He got supplies and returned to the room as Grissom came in. Jack quietly shut the door and laid Olivia on the bed.

"Wanted to ask you something," he said. He started to clean up the baby. "It's none of my business, but I have a habit of sticking my nose where it doesn't belong. Lately, anyway. Are you aware that Nick is in love with you?"

Grissom stared at him. "Excuse me?"

"In love," Jack repeated. He set pillows on either side of Olivia. She cooed happily to herself, newly content. "And you love him. So I'm a little confused as to what the problem is. Ok, I'm being an old-lady busy-body, playing yenta, but come on, Gil; there's too much crap going on in the world, -no, the galaxy –for two people who love each other not to take advantage of it."

Grissom crossed his arms, still staring. "And you know how I feel….How?" he asked.

"It's a long, classified story," Jack told him. "You'd know how Nick feels, too, if you reached out and opened your heart to him. I may know how you feel, but I don't know why you're afraid. If you want to talk about it, that's fine; if you don't, that's fine, too. At least talk to Nick. I've learned that if I hide from my partners, they become very irritated with me. I've learned to trust my partners. I'm sorry you've been hurt, whatever or whoever it was. Nick will heal you, if you'll let him."

"Ignoring the insanity of this topic, Nicky is straighter than a yardstick," Grissom informed him.

"Yeah, so was I until Daniel entered my life and whacked me upside the head," Jack said. "Shit happens, Gil. Nick is feeling a little freaked about it, himself, but he's dying to kiss you. Are you going to lie to me and tell me that you don't want him?"

"No," Grissom admitted, pursing his lips. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm learning to share," Jack said. "Do whatever you want with the information; the man is in love with you. If you want him, I guarantee you'll have him. All you need to do is tell him how you feel. Go out there, pull him into your arms, and plant one on him. He will respond positively, and your friends will be happy for you. For both of you."

"I'm his boss," Grissom tried.

"And sometimes I have to be the boss of Sam and Daniel," Jack responded. "I deliberately put them on someone else's watch, so that I wouldn't have to make those decisions, if I didn't need to. Sam calls me Sir and General, if we're on duty. Daniel has never obeyed, so arguing with him is second nature. We set a protocol for work, and we do our best to stick to it."

"We're both in highly political situations," Grissom said.

"And I'm not?" Jack raised an eyebrow. "My uniform has 2 stars on each shoulder, doctor. President Hayes and the British PM are both on my speed dial. Their private lines. Gil, you seem to me to be a rational man; is it rational to ignore what your heart tells you to be true?"

"I'm not ignoring it. My head leads me, not my heart."

"That's too bad," Jack said, leaning back against a pile of pillows and putting his hands behind his head as he studied the man. "I used to be like that. Once I started taking conference calls with both head and heart, me, myself, and I all became much happier. I don't know you well but you don't strike me as a cold, heartless person, Gil. You do strike me as someone who's been seriously burned."

Grissom left the room. Jack sighed, turned, and kissed Olivia. "Too forward?" he asked her. He shrugged. "Maybe. Daddy Danny won't be happy with me."

"Dammit, Jack, you can't go around interfering like that," Daniel informed him after dinner when Jack confessed. "You don't know anything about either of those men; they may have damned good reasons for not getting together and you trying to force the issue may have serious repercussions on their relationship. And my relationship with Nick. I like him, Jack, I consider him a friend. Just because you chose to deal with your issues, doesn't mean everyone else is ready to deal with theirs. It took you almost 10 years to deal with your issue, and Sam and your clone forced you into it. You owe Nick and Gil an apology."

"But they love each other, Daniel," Jack argued. "They're wasting time by not sharing with each other."

Daniel planted his feet and crossed his arms as he scowled at Jack. "Who died and made you the god of love?" he demanded. "And seems to me it's been less than a year since you started learning to share, so quit preaching."

Jack scowled back at him, searched his side table for his comm, and hit it.

"Someone beam me up," he demanded. He disappeared. "Inanna!" he shouted the moment he appeared.

"On the bridge," said the crewman who beamed him in. Jack stalked off. She had both Ninurta and Enki with her when he arrived. He stormed up and down in front of them as he talked.

"…he doesn't understand!" Jack shouted. "I'm being bombarded with emotions from every single person I run into, and he says I can't be doing anything about it! You people started this, give me the fucking rule book!"

"Only one rule, Jack," Enki said reasonably. "Free will. We always have free will. It is your free will to open your mouth or not, it is their free will to accept what you have to say or not. Either way, there are consequences. Cause and effect." He leaned forward, his hands folded between his knees as he thought. "Jack, those of us who have been enhanced by me all those years ago, we are all able to sense others. We can do the same thing you are now learning to. We can do more because we've had more time to learn. If we are able to sense each other, why do you think we choose to talk? Why not sit around in silence, reading each other's thoughts?"

Jack thought about it. "I don't know."

"We have no privacy here," he said, spreading his hands wide. "No one has quarters to themselves; there isn't a spot on this ship that is private. We have an unwritten rule that we will not invade the last private space each person has; our very thoughts and emotions. That which is on the inside. To invade each other in such a way, without permission, is an anathema to us. I very rarely go in to read you; I can usually find my way into your meaning by listening to your words and by watching your actions. You need to learn how to shut down those receptors, Jack. Don't read people without their permission. And if you do get something, if someone happens to be broadcasting loudly, like you do, often, keep it to yourself."

Jack scrubbed his face and looked out the main screen. "How do I do that?" he asked. "I've been completely wiped of energy. How the hell do I shut it off? And don't tell me to figure it out on my own, I didn't ask for this in the first place."

Enki was silent for a moment, glancing at Inanna and Ninurta.

"Alright but let's get you home first," the old man said. "It'll be easier if we get you into bed."

Jack looked at him.

"Because you'll probably be knocked out almost immediately," Enki stressed.

Jack nodded and turned to follow Enki off the bridge. He paused and looked back.

"Daniel also reprimanded me for something else," he confessed to Ninurta. "He said I should have at least kissed you. The reason I didn't kiss you was because I already felt like I was betraying them, and kissing anyone would have sealed it. I kissed Paul because he needed the contact. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings."

Ninurta smiled and gave Jack a hug. "I understood and I wasn't hurt," Ninurta told him. "But thank you."

They beamed back to the house, startling their guests who were in the livingroom. Sam was holding court and writing notes as the civilians asked questions and had issues clarified.

"Hello, Aba," Daniel greeted Enki, touching both bearded cheeks with his and giving a brief hug.

"Dr. Grissom, could we talk, please?" Jack asked, subdued. Gil thought about it and then followed Jack and Enki into the bedroom. Jack introduced the men as he stripped and changed into his pajamas. "Did you say anything to Nick yet?" he asked calmly.

"No."

Jack nodded. "I would like to apologize. I was out of line. It wasn't my business."

Grissom nodded, studying him, looking back and forth to the alien.

"Look, Gil –whatever Enki is about to do to me, it's going to knock me out, so I need to say this first." Jack sat on the bed, up against the pillows, his arms wrapped around his knees. "I've been learning something new and I don't know the rules or how to control it. Yet. All I know is that I'm being bombarded with everyone's emotions and it's wearing me out. You and Nick love each other so much that just being in your presence, when the two of you are together, is like looking into the noonday sun at midsummer. If you don't want to do anything about it, that's up to you. He doesn't know I said anything to you about this and I'm sorry if I outted him."

Enki frowned in confusion.

"Outted?"

"Later," Jack begged. "All I'm trying to say is that I had only the best of intentions, I didn't mean to hurt anyone. So, I'm sorry."

"Accepted, thank you," Grissom said with a nod. "What do you mean, you're feeling the emotions of others? That isn't possible."

"If you had told me that a year ago, I would have agreed with you," Jack said. "Something happened to me a few years ago, I can't divulge the information, but it's triggering a section of my brain to open up. I can sense the emotions of others. Not thoughts, just emotions. Feelings. Enki here has been sort of a mentor to me. Apparently I'm stuck in the On position. He's going to show me how to turn Off."

Grissom pursed his lips as he contemplated Jack and Enki. "We use approximately 7 to 10 percent of our brain," he commented. Jack nodded.

"Jack's running at about 20 and counting," Enki informed him. "This leap will top off at around 15 percent. A few might go to 20. Jack's already gone through the leap but he'll continue to around 35." Grissom's eyebrows went up. "Special circumstances. Don't worry, it'll take another couple hundred years for the race as a whole to make the complete cycle."

"What leap?" Grissom asked, listening hard to follow.

"The human race has begun an evolutionary leap," Jack told him. "This is part of it; you'll be encountering it more and more often. I was hot-wired; others are starting to do it on their own. All I can tell you is to learn to follow hunches and feelings. It's important, Gil, please. I don't know how or why, but it's become an imperative." Privately, he was glad his brain wasn't going to hit 90 percent. It almost killed him, the first time.

Grissom still stared at them, clearly not believing the men.

"That color doesn't go well on you," Enki said, looking at Gil's checkered, flannel shirt. Enki touched a sleeve and the shirt was suddenly a dark, electric blue. "That's better. Brings out your eyes."

Gil looked down. He would have jumped out of the shirt, if he could. He pulled it away from his chest, unbuttoned a couple of buttons, and looked inside. It was blue on the inside, too. He licked his finger and scrubbed at it. No dye came off.

"Enki, don't terrorize the man," Jack said. "I live with a scientist, remember? They don't deal well with surprises."

Enki shrugged. "You can turn it back, if you want, didila," he suggested.

Jack blew out his cheeks with a noisy breath. "Can we not go there, yet?" he pleaded.

"Do you like the blue, or would you like it back the way it was?" Enki asked the confused man who was still hunting around his own shirt.

"Oh, no, leave it, please," Grissom said.

"He's going to take it home and analyze it to death," Jack told Enki.

"Whatever makes him happy," Enki said.

"Gil, that door is a walk-in closet," Jack said, pointing across the room. "If you'll feel better with a different shirt, take your pick; girls on the left, boys on the right."

The blue shirt immediately came off and Grissom took Jack up on the offer. It took only a moment for him to find a sweater. One of his, Jack saw.

"I'll bring it back tomorrow," Grissom said, still looking critically at his own transformed shirt. "Thank you," he called belatedly over his shoulder as he exited the room.

"Alright," Enki said when the door was closed. He sat on the side of the bed, next to Jack. "I need to show you from the inside." He took one of Jack's hands in his and put the other on his chest, mirroring the movement by place a hand on Jack's chest. "Just follow, don't try and lead. It is in your nature to lead, but I can't show you if you fight me. Close your eyes and center. When you feel the energy, go with it. It feels like a tidal current in the ocean. Jump in and let it carry you. Watch. Pay attention. Don't push or you could harm me."

Jack jumped. The current reminded him of one of those water slide things at the water park. He felt a faint amusement from Enki as the image entered his mind. Watch, he felt said to him. Jack watched. Like a light switch being flicked from an open current to a closed current, he suddenly understood the process. He experimented and found that he could shut off, and then on, the feeling of curiosity emanating from Sam and Daniel out in the living room. Good.

Exhaustion swept over Jack and he blacked out.

"Where is he?" Daniel asked when Enki came out. Sam introduced everyone.

"Sleeping," Enki said. "He'll be out for a while, don't worry about him. If anyone asks, tell them he has the flu. Don't try waking him up, he really does need to be uninterrupted."

"Aba, we don't get sick," Daniel told him. "We haven't gotten sick in years. All those antibiotics we get before and after an off-world trip."

"I can give him the flu, if that will help," Enki said helpfully.

"We'll deal with it," Sam quickly promised.

"What do you mean, you don't get sick?" Dr. Robbins asked. "A cold? Stomach bug?"

"Nope," Daniel shrugged. "Headaches, once in a while, but no viruses or infections. I guess if someone cut themselves and didn't clean the wound, it could become infected. Sam?"

"Probably," she nodded thoughtfully. "It would have to be a major cut, though, and filthy."

"Can you die?" Nick asked in amusement.

"Which time?" Daniel sighed.

Stacy and Davy came running into the house and stopped.

"Aba!" they yelled and ran for him. He passed out hugs.

"Where's your brother and sister?" he asked them. Katie was on a date and Matthew was spending the night with a friend.

"Can T'Keet spend the night?" Stacy begged him. Davy echoed her.

"Ask your parents," Enki told them. Daniel and Sam were bombarded.

"Yes!" they quickly agreed. Enki called the ship and the cub was beamed down minutes later. She jumped and gave out nose rubs to Sam and Daniel, and then paused at seeing the new people.

"Remember him," she said, standing tall and touching Nick's knees.

"My goodness!" he exclaimed. "She's gotten so big! See? I told you guys I met a cub," he taunted his astonished friends. He scratched her ears and she touched his nose with hers.

"Yes, this is Nick," Daniel told her. He introduced the others and she carefully sniffed at them. Enki quickly said something to her. Daniel raised an eyebrow but didn't translate.

"Anna," T'Keet gave her whiskers a flick of assent. The children raided the kitchen and then ran upstairs.

"Walk!" Sam and Daniel both called out. It was pointless.

"That's a Sua cub?" Catherine finally vocalized. Grissom hurried outside.

"Yes," Daniel nodded. "That's T'Keet. She's the youngest Sua on the ship." Grissom came back in. He opened a thin box, popped the lid of a sterile swab, and rubbed it on Nick's nose. He closed the lid and held it out. Catherine took it, amused, and put it in her purse. Nick gave a shake of his head. Sam got up and went upstairs.

"Yes, and speaking of the ship, we will be leaving in two days," Enki told them. "Our new home is ready for occupation. Several young ladies are pregnant and it would be nice if we can offer them a home for the babies."

"Will there be a planet-warming party?" Daniel asked. Enki smiled and touched his cheek.

"Yes, of course, didila."

Enki frowned slightly and tugged at his beard in thought.

"While I'm here, there is something I'd like to discuss," he said, sitting next to Daniel. "If no one would mind a change in subject?" No one minded. "Good. Many changes are starting to happen, some on a galactic scale, and they will involve this planet. Tau'ri is the center of attention, actually. I am curious to know how the general public is feeling."

"In what regard?" Grissom asked. Sam came back down and held out a comb to Grissom.

"Cub fur?" she offered. Grissom's eyes lit up at the comb covered in soft, russet fur. He looked closely. There were a few tags. Sam got a zip-lock bag, bagged the comb, and gave it to Catherine.

"Well, if this planet becomes active in galactic affairs, which it already is, how will the citizens deal with it?" Enki asked.

"Depends on which aspect of the public you are talking about," Grissom said. "And which country. There are still tribes on this planet that have no idea what's going on. They may have seen ships in the sky and have created a deity-oriented story around it. Others may be seeing Armageddon, a chance to take their drugs or illicit affairs off world, or power-seekers looking for a world of their own to dominate. I can tell you that we have been doing more than our fair share in cleaning up messes that have involved murder or suicide that were religious in nature. People are scared."

"They don't understand, Aba," Daniel said. "Most people see the world in relation to themselves. What they can get out of it. Only a few are able to see a broader picture. Not a week goes by that I don't have students and teachers stopping me in the halls; under their questions lies a quest for reassurance that everything is alright."

Enki nodded slowly and picked at his robes.

"It will get worse before it gets better," he said. "Nature is culling the herd. It may be the alien factor that people will point to, but if they cannot find it within themselves to open their minds, they will not survive. We can tinker with nature all we want; the Great Mother will have her way in the end. It is no coincidence that everyone here is involved in science of some kind; evolution is happening to the human race and science will need to be the voice of reason through the coming darkness. Learn to open your minds and your hearts. Teach others. Encourage it in others. By being open, you will see."

"A lot of people have been hurt by others," Grissom commented. "There are bad people out there."

"Yes, there are," Enki agreed. "And for every blow, say Yes. For every time we are knocked down, say Yes. That is the acceptance of life."

"That is victimization," Grissom said disapprovingly.

"No," Enki shook his head. "A victim says Why me? And continues to step into the fist. If we say Why me and then block the fist, or avoid it altogether, we learn, evolve, and move on. That is saying Yes to life. When your heart gets broken, do you cower in a corner and refuse to accept love once more? Does an abused child refuse to have children for fear of abusing them? Would it not be more reasonable to have the child and teach that child to love? Would that not be learning from someone's mistake? That isn't a victim, that is a survivor."

"The man on the street isn't going to understand that," Catherine said.

"Then the man on the street will be taken out of the gene pool," Enki countered. "And it will be nature Herself doing the culling."

"That's a little cold," Nick said.

Enki nodded. "Yes, it is," he agreed. "After thousands of years, I've discovered that sometimes cold needs to happen, if it will expose the truth."

"So, are you proposing that love will save the world?" Nick asked.

"No," Enki shook his head. "I'm proposing that tolerance will save the world. Love is just a by-product of tolerance."

"And are we supposed to tolerate the murderers and child molesters?" Nick asked with a bite.

"No, you do your job and let the laws of the land deal with them," Enki said. "Don't allow their evil to run your life, Nick. Everyone gets hurt by someone; it is our decision to forgive, forget, or learn and move on. My son has been raped several times in the course of various battles. His partners heal him and he moves on, and he's a stronger man for it. He walks through life with an open heart, he feels all his emotions to their fullest meaning, he loves with his entire being and that makes him beautiful. I stand in awe of my son and anyone else who embraces life."

"And what if what we want, what makes our heart happy, will cause pain to others?" Nick asked.

"Then it becomes their issue, not yours," Enki responded. "Free will, Nick. It is your free will to love someone. Yes, life is a circle and we are all connected by cause and effect. At the same time, we are all individuals. I will love whomever I please; if you don't approve, you are entitled to your feelings but they don't affect me because I don't allow them to. If you were to tell me of your disapproval, it would be my free will to hear your words as a judgment or as a comment. If I allow you to judge me, only then will you gain control over me. Do you understand?"

"I think so," Nick nodded thoughtfully. "We are in a judgmental society, though, it is part of the main religion of the land."

"No, it isn't," Enki stated. "I've read your spiritual texts; Jesus never once forced someone to believe in him. He led his life and if someone wanted to follow him that was their choice. If people are going to call themselves Christian, they should be following Christ, not his disciples. The people that Jesus took to task were those that attempted to fragment society by cheating, lying, stealing, or in some way hurting others. He loved with an open heart, and he accepted others who loved, no matter what their background was. The Samaritan woman at the well is one of my favorite parables. That is an example of love, acceptance, tolerance, in its purest form."

"And if I tell someone I love them only to be rejected? How open is that?" Nick asked. Catherine heard something in his voice and took his hand.

"It is completely open," Enki said softly. "It is beautiful no matter what the outcome, because you chose to love. If your love isn't returned to your satisfaction, bless that person and allow them their own heart's desire by moving on. The giving of love is always a good thing, Nick, never be afraid of it."

Catherine looked at Nick, growing alarmed. She took his face and turned him to face her.

"Who, Nicky?" she asked. "You are the most worthy person I know to love, who do you think will hurt you?" She rubbed a finger across his cheeks. He shook his head and sniffed.

"I'm a big baby, is what I am," he said huskily, scrubbing angrily at his face. "I cry during long-distance commercials. He needs a man, not a baby."

Catherine shot a look at Robbins and Grissom. "He who, Nick?" she asked. "Nicky, are you in love with a man? Honey, it's ok, we don't care about that. If he can't love you as you are, he doesn't deserve you."

Nick jumped to his feet and stormed out the door. Catherine moved to follow him.

"I'll get him," Grissom said quietly and followed Nick out the front door.

"I'm sorry," Enki said. "I feel that this is my fault."

"No," Catherine shook her head. "Nick's had a tough time lately; he was the victim of a very insane person recently. A few times, actually. He has issues. Gil will catch him, he always does."

After a moment, Catherine looked at Robbins. They both jumped up and looked out the window. They could hear muffled yelling through the window but not what was being said as Nick stalked up and down and tossed his arms in the air while Grissom stood still. Nick grabbed Grissom by the front of his sweater. Their colleagues inside jumped and ran for the door, trying to get to Nick before he took a swing at Grissom. They yanked the door open in time to see Grissom fall backwards to the snow and Nick landing on top of him.

"This is my choice, too, goddammit!" Nick yelled. He put his mouth on Grissom's. Grissom struggled for a moment before his arms betrayed him and went around Nick's back, holding on tight as mouths opened.

Jaws dropped in the doorway.

Nick tore his mouth away and buried his face in Grissom's neck. Grissom stroked Nick's hair.

"I don't know how to do this, Nicky," Grissom said softly. "I don't do relationships well."

Nick lifted his head. "Then we'll learn together," he declared. "Give this a chance, Gil. I love you and I'm willing to do my best to make this work. Please. Don't send me away."

Grissom grabbed a handful of brown hair and pulled Nick back down to him, holding the young man tight.

Inside, Daniel tweaked Enki's beard. "Now THAT'S your fault, you wily old goat."

Enki shrugged. "After building a planet, what's a little match-making? Ze ki angu, agashu." He tapped Daniel's chin with a chuckle.

"Ze ki angu, adda," Daniel responded with a shake of his head and a smile. Enki pecked at Sam's cheek and beamed himself out.

"What is ze ki angu?" Sam asked, linking her fingers with his as they watched out the door.

"I love you," Daniel said. "Agashu is youngest son. Think they'll notice they're lying in snow before they melt their way to the grass?"

Grissom hooked one leg over Nick's as they kissed. Hips were definitely being pressed together as one of Grissom's hands strayed over Nick's butt and held on. The householders took hold of their guests and pulled them gently inside, quietly shutting the door.

"How about some hot chocolate?" Daniel suggested.

"With brandy?" Catherine asked.

"We can do that."

Sam checked on Olivia and Jack while Daniel started the hot chocolate. He knew the smell would bring the children out of the woodwork, so he prepared cups for them first.

"It's hot," he warned T'Keet when they appeared. She purred as she lapped at it and carried it gingerly to the table, the tip of a pink tongue sticking out.

Daniel set out the brandy and Catherine poured a generous helping into her cocoa.

"Is that going to be a problem?" he asked her, looking carefully at her. He reached out and lifted the cub to his lap so that she could reach the top of the table easier.

"No, I don't think so," she said, shaking her head. She reached over and gently ran a finger over T'Keet's head, between her ears. Her eyes widened in delight when purring issued. "It's a surprise, but I think we're a pretty open-minded bunch." Daniel used a finger to poke at the furry neck and Catherine jumped when the cub hooted and smacked Daniel with her tail. He chuckled and scrubbed an ear, making her purr again.

"I knew about Gil, it's Nicky that's the surprise," Robbins said, smiling at them.

"Yeah, I guessed at Gil years ago," Catherine told him. "I hope Nicky handles this alright."

"Nick love Gil," T'Keet said. She was doing better with vowels, Daniel noticed. She sniffed the air. "Smell. Mates."

Catherine and Robbins looked at Daniel and Sam.

"The Sua have incredible sensors in their nasal passages, and receptors in their mouths," Sam said. "They smell and taste emotions. They can even smell someone else's scent on another person and the intent of that scent."

"She knew when Daddy was dating Paul, and then when Daddy started dating Jack and Sam," Stacy informed them.

"Smart," T'Keet said smugly. Daniel snuggled her and kissed her head.

"Very smart," he agreed.

The front door opened and two men stepped in after kicking snow off their shoes. They both hung their heads, abashed. Sam handed them cups.

"Um," Grissom tried.

"Sit down, Gil," Catherine said. "No explanations are necessary. Just remember that lighting up hotel rooms are bad enough on us, we don't need the office sparking up."

Nick flushed and hid his face in the hot mug.

They knew Grissom wasn't too far gone by the time they left; he did remember to grab the altered shirt that he had packaged into an evidence bag from his ever-present kit.

Sam chuckled tiredly as she helped to load the dishwasher after everyone left for the evening.

"They've got it bad," she commented.

"Yeah, Nick wasn't out of contact for more than a minute," Daniel said. "Practically sat on Gil's lap. Wouldn't mind being a fly on their hotel room wall tonight."

Stacy and T'Keet were asleep, as was Matthew who had come in a short time earlier. Katie was on her computer and she promised to shut down soon. Jerrie was spending her weekend with Dr. Lam. They found Davy asleep in their bed, curled up next to Jack, so they headed down to Daniel's den for the night. Stacy had painted a lion's head and pinned it to the door. Daniel's den was becoming their private room, the talking room; it was pretty much sound-proof from the rest of the house and Daniel had created a comfortable living space in one corner, complete with couch, two chairs, a coffee table, and rug. The couch folded out into a bed, which wasn't too bad, if a person was only using it for one, maybe two nights. The children knew to keep away, if the adults were down there talking. They also knew to knock if they were looking for someone not in their own bed. Since Davy felt the need to sleep next to Jack that evening, the others went downstairs and gave Davy his space.

"Any idea what Jack and Enki were up to?" Sam asked as they made the bed.

"Nope," Daniel shook his head. "I hope it fixed whatever's been wrong with him, though. If he isn't sleeping, he's been almost manic. Jumping from place to place, not sitting still…"

"Not keeping his mouth shut," Sam said. "He actually told Hayes to apologize for whatever it was he said to upset his wife."

Daniel groaned and paused. "He told Gil to make nice with Nick because Nick was in love with him and it was a waste of time to be wasting time."

Sam's face cleared. "So that's what Enki was doing. Sneaky devil."

"Yeah, he's better at it than Jack," Daniel commented. "More finesse."

"What do you think's happening with Jack?" she asked, laying back on the bed.

"Not sure," Daniel said with a frown, tossing his jeans to a chair. "Obviously something's going on with the download, but I'm not sure what Jack's download has to do with an evolutionary leap for our species. Have you been meditating?"

"Yes," she nodded. "It's relaxing, but I'm not sure that it's doing anything else for me."

"Maybe not for us personally, but it could be doing something with our DNA," he suggested. "Enki did say to reproduce."

"We have a full house, Danny," Sam pointed out. He nodded.

"More ways than one around that," he said. "I'm considering donating sperm."

She looked blankly at him. "To whom?"

"Sperm banks," he said with a shrug. "They're always looking for the top percent. Not to sound conceded, but I think three Ph.D's qualify. Jack, too, with whatever's happening to him. Maybe you could donate eggs?"

Sam folded her arms. "I'm not sure I could do that," she said. "Could you really let someone else raise your child?"

He leaned on an elbow to look at her. "Honey, I'm a foster kid, remember? There are a lot of good people out there who want a child but can't have one. For one reason or another. If I can help make someone happy, yes, I'd do it."

Jack was still sound asleep in the morning. They straightened his covers and tucked him in. Sam checked his pulse, slightly worried, but she shook her head at Daniel's look. He was fine, as far as she could tell.

The kids clamored for breakfast, including one hungry baby, so Daniel and Sam got them settled. A neighbor stopped and picked up Matty for church. They had dealt with Father Joe when Matthew started becoming a regular at St. Peter's. The Father was a little concerned that Matthew might be getting negative messages from the family, but was more than once welcomed to meals at the house. He left bemused, enjoying his lively conversations with Daniel, convinced that the family supported Matthew's decision to continue with the Church, and respectful of those who did not wish to join him. Now that Jack's mother was in town, she, too, began joining her grandson at St. Peter's. Sometimes a few of Daniel's SGC geeks would come over to the house and Matthew enjoyed some of the conversations he would get from Khalid. Although two different religions, Khalid respected the boy and was teaching him that it was ok to Believe and still live in the modern world.

Stacy enjoyed language day in their house, when SGC translators and Daniel's class all came over. Everyone took turns trying out words and phrases on her but she picked up whatever she heard as well as a tape recorder. It wasn't unusual for students to drop in at odd hours, if something was bugging them. Sam had visitors, too, when something technical came up, but Jack had misgivings about blowing the house up so Sam usually did her consulting on-line. Everyone was told that if they were going to bother the family at home, they'd better be prepared to pitch in. The traffic had lessened since the baby came to the house, but a few brave souls still managed.

The university wasn't sure about Daniel's teaching methods. He used testing only because the board insisted, rarely used a text book, and rarely used the classroom. Daniel had taken the text books, edited them, returned them to the board, and told them that when the authors got it right, he'd use them.

Maggie and Fr. Joe came in with Matthew just in time for lunch. There was a screech of laughter from the front yard and Daniel stuck his head out the door. Davy, Stacy, and T'Keet had pelted the CSI's with snowballs. Catherine and Robbins ducked and came up the stairs. Daniel shooed them in. Grissom and Nick were rounding up snowballs of their own and tossing them back at the kids.

"Manners!" Daniel shouted. "They are guests…..! Ooof!" A cold, white blob had hit him square in the chest. He shouted a challenge and jumped down, rolling and ducking for cover as he put together some ammo of his own.

Paul had come up the sidewalk, took in the scene, and decided that the kids needed help more, so he joined their ranks.

"Traitor!" Daniel shouted.

Something red flew past.

"Zu!" the children shouted in delight. "Erra and Zu are back!"

Zu landed close to Daniel, turned, and scratched at the snow, sending a flurry of snow flying at Daniel. Zu snickered at the sputtering and flew back into the house. A warrior stuck his head out.

"Erra! Be on our side!" the kids shouted. Erra dove at them and started shooting balls across the yard.

"Hey! No fair!" Daniel shouted.

"And three men against a couple of kids is fair?" Erra asked. "I'd say things are evened out, now." He shot a snowball and it landed on Nicky's head. "I'm Erra! Nothing personal!"

"Where have you been?" Daniel called out.

"Destroying archaeological evidence!"

Several snowballs were volleyed at him. Matty and Katie came out. Katie went to Paul and Matty went to Daniel.

More people suddenly appeared in the yard and chose their teams. The children had discovered that they could sneak around the grownups and shove snow down sweaters and pants. The ship's kids came down and joined up. Neighborhood kids heard the commotion and came out for the fun, too. A couple of people from Daniel's class came up and also joined in.

Jack stuck his head out the door, watched blurrily for a moment, grunted, and went back to bed. Maggie tucked him back in, kissed his head, and went back into the living room. Zu was pecking hungrily at a bowl of fruit Sam quickly put out for him.

"What have you been doing?" she asked him.

"Wooorkkking," he croaked and spit out a piece of orange rind. Fr. Joe glanced up from his coffee and looked at the bird.

"I gathered that," Sam said. "Working at what?"

"Ppppressent forrrr youuuu," he said.

"For me? Where is it?" she asked, surprised.

"Commmming," he assured her. He looked over at Olivia in Maggie's arms. "Haapppyyy cubbbb," he commented. Sam looked at the baby and smiled.

"Yes, she is," she agreed.

"Nexxxt gennnerrrationnnn," Zu said. "Trraaaain herrrr welllll."

"Next generation? What do you mean, Zu?" Sam asked, frowning.

"Daaaltuuu. Ezzzibbbb shhhhaaaa."

"What? Zu, I don't speak Sumerian," Sam reminded him. He flew to the back of the chair Maggie was in, rubbed his beak against Olivia's cheek and preened the fuzz on her head before disappearing. She gurgled and waved a hand at him.

"You, uh, have interesting guests," Fr. Joe said.

"Who, Zu? Exasperating is a better word, I think," Sam commented. She made a note to ask Daniel the meaning of the words. There was a squawk from outside. Zu popped back in, shook snow off his back, looked out the window as he planned his strategy, and popped back out again.

Inanna beamed in. She looked out the window and shook her head.

"I had wondered where our children had gotten to," she said. "A few big kids, too, I see. Ah, well." She touched her comm and informed the ship. Moments later, Ninurta, Shara, Gibil, and Jonathan beamed in and were out the door. Enki and cigar sat on the porch, declared neutral territory, and kept Dr. Robbins company while Catherine decided to join the fight. She went opposite Grissom and Nick.

It wasn't exactly what Daniel and Sam had in mind for the day, but everyone needed the break. Daniel came in after a while and was conned into playing his piano after his fingers thawed. He found it interesting that Nick sat on the floor at Grissom's feet, instead of on the couch. Grissom wasn't a physical person, but Nicky was as he seemed to be in contact with his new partner at any opportunity. Grissom eventually gave up and could be seen touching Nick's hair or allowing his hand to be held.

Enki checked on Jack and assured his partners that he was fine. All of Jack's energy was being sapped by the open circuits so the sleep was good; it was replenishing his energy which had been growing dangerously low.

It was dark when Jack woke up. He listened. The house was quiet. He was quiet on the inside, too, feeling like he had been muffled with cotton. He looked over and saw Sam and Daniel asleep next to him. He got up, peed, and made the rounds. Everyone was asleep. He found food and sat in his office to work for a while. When it was light, he took a long, hot shower, shaved off the three-day beard, and made breakfast for the kids. Everyone was glad to see him up and he assured them he was fine. Sam headed out for the final week of the forensic seminar and Daniel took the kids to school while Jerrie got Olivia up and fed. Jack needed to go to DC for a meeting.

It was unusual for Jack to be a willing participant in a government meeting, so when he actually initiated one, both the US president and the British PM made room in their schedule. Once Clark Hurley was present from England, Jack sat down and told them about the proposal of unified worlds.

"My God, Jack, we can't get our own world to cooperate," Hayes said, stunned.

"I know and I told them that," Jack said. "Look, I'm saying that I don't know what to do about this. I'm flattered that they want me to lead this thing, but at the same time, I have a family to raise. I've been away from them too much as it is. I missed Davy's eleventh birthday and Christmas. If there is someone you feel should be offered the position of Tau'ri representative, that's fine. I'm willing to be standby, in case a decision breaker needs to be made. They want me whether or not Earth is involved. The Heaven's Bow will be leaving tomorrow for their new home world. Inanna doesn't want to lead this thing, she wants to rebuild a world. I'd suggest Hammond for the post but I'm also thinking he'd be great as the new Air Force Academy Commander."

"We're already considering him for that post," Maynard said from the window. "How do we get Earth together to do this?"

"They said it doesn't matter what a single planet does within its own borders," Jack told him. "There will be a compact for the union, and there will be a sentient rights statement which the planet will need to follow, but other than that….."

"I'm rackin' my brain here, Jack, and the only person that comes to mind for this is you," Hayes said. "You're already known, your record speaks for itself. There isn't another person on this planet that can even match you, as much as it pains my own ego to say it."

"Since the next governing body is the UN, I suggest calling an emergency meeting and letting the other nations in on this," Jack said. "We need to find out the general mood of the planet. I can call a meeting with the HomeSec council. We can't force everyone into this, there would be calls of dictatorship. We need to move fast, though, the galaxy is looking to this tiny, xenophobic planet to head up this thing."

"If they want Earth to do this, shouldn't we be the ones to write the compact?" Hurley asked.

"There are still planets chiming in with their preliminary vote for inclusion," Jack said. "The protocols haven't even been written yet; Bre'tac is collecting lists of wants and needs. We need to wait and see what everyone has to say; we cannot walk in and take over, imposing our Western standards on the galaxy. If we step in and abolish the things we don't like, we would be acting like the settlers did with the Native Americans. No matter what I personally feel about those acts, I'm not willing to turn a society upside down and force them to follow an alien protocol. They want Earth to participate and me to lead the council. I would be the voice of the council, the tie-breaker, not the King. The union will be run by council, not by Earth."

Jack stood and walked to the bar, pouring himself a glass of water.

"Look, guys, this is a major step they're taking out there," he said, gesturing toward the sky with his glass. "They have been living in fear for thousands of years and they suddenly have their freedom. Sure, a few planets are going a little wild, and a few don't know what to do without someone telling them what to do, but all in all, the fact that they are looking to each other for support is a positive step. Some of them are just as xenophobic as Earth, but we're getting past it. We need to be looking at the bigger picture, and the bigger picture is out there."