"Secrets and Challenges"

Ch. 32

(Atlantis, Jumper Bay)

Later that night, when the arguing couple arrived back on Atlantis, Daniel came running in to meet Stacey.

"Stace! I have great news," he began, excitedly.

"Good, because I could use some right about now. What's up?" Stacey said as they left the hanger, leaving John alone.

(Atlantis, Corridor)

They took a walk around the city. There were less people out at night. Most of them were asleep or off-world.

"So, what's the great news?" Stacey asked as they walked in no particular direction.

"Elizabeth has authorized us to go check out the Alpha Site," he told her, excitedly.

"As in Pegasus' Alpha Site? The Alpha Site with the Naquida?" Stacey asked. "How in the hell did you convince Liz?"

"General Hammond," Daniel said, simply.

Stacey's eyes went up. She bounced and hugged Daniel.

"Stace, Stace, the baby!" Daniel said, trying to fend off the pregnant Feral, with little success.

"This is wonderful!" he said, finally letting the archeologist go.

(Stasis Room)

Stacey found Weir in the Stasis Room, where they had found the Old Alternate Weir. Stacey leaned on the doorway.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Stacey said.

Weir jumped and turned swiftly. Stacey gave an apologetic smile.

"Sorry," she said, walking over to Elizabeth. "What's on your mind?"

"I was just thinking, if there were any other's in Stasis," Weir told her.

"There's no way of really knowing until we've discovered it, sadly," Stacey told her.

(Stacey and John's Quarter's)

Stacey was busy packing for the digging adventure when John stepped in.

"I'm sorry," he told her after several minutes of silence.

"Is that it? Just 'I'm sorry'," Stacey said.

"You're not making this easy on me, are you?" John asked.

Stacey sighed, "It's not supposed to be easy, John."

"Okay, you're right," he told her. "I'm sorry for being such an ass to Dr. Jackson."

"He deserves the apology, not me," Stacey told him, clamping the gray box she was packing, shut.

John nodded and then said, "So, when were you going to file for divorce and why haven't I heard of it until now?"

She shifted uneasily I her place. Stacey shoved the box aside and sat down in its place. John went over and sat next to her.

"I was going through a hard time then," Stacey began. "It was when we weren't in contact anymore and Daniel had ascended," she took in a deep breathe and exhaled it slowly. "I had just lost my best friend to a lethal dose of radiation and I could not do anything about it. He wouldn't let me. I felt guilty for that for a very long time until Daniel got descended."

John spoke very quietly, "And now?"

"I'm gonna burn the papers as soon as we get back to earth," she told him. "Atlantis has reignited the fire in our marriage. I love you now, more than I loved you when we first met."

John hugged her and kissed her softly.

(Atlantis, Gate Room, Day)

Stacey and Daniel stood at the bottom of the Stargate waiting for the final go ahead from Dr. Weir. The two were carrying two cases each. They were on their way to PZ4-003, the new Beta site, to start digging. John stood at the base, next to his pregnant wife, to see her off.

Stacey and Daniel would be gone for a few weeks. They were just going to start off the digging team.

Stacey kissed her husband farewell and the two disappeared through the Event Horizon.

(Atlantis, Gate Room, Night)

Stacey and Daniel looked around. Several guards were pointing guns at them. Daniel and Stacey dropped their packages and threw up their hands.

"Easy, guys, easy," Stacey said to the four men with the guns.

"We're friends," Daniel told them.

"Dr. Sheppard will tell us that," a woman walked down the steps and met the group.

The woman had deep blue eyes and short, dirty blonde hair. She had a small nose that held a pair of oval glasses. Once the woman got a good glance at the pair, it looked like she could have fainted.

"Oh, my, god," she gasped. "Stacey? Dad?"

To be continued . . .