"Secrets and Challenges"

Ch. 35

(Atlantis Future, Lab)

Sam and Daniel stepped into an enormous lab. Jessica looked nothing like Emily. She looked exactly like Daniel. Jessica had blue eyes and his brown hair. Jessica, however, didn't have any glasses. Jessica was absorbed in her work, not noticing her visitors.

"Jess," Sam greeted.

"Hey, mom," Jessica greeted back, not looking up. "I know, I was supposed to meet you for dinner, but this is really fascinating."

"We have a situation," Sam said.

This time Jessica looked up.

"Dad!"

"Yes, he's from our past," Sam tried to explain to her daughter.

"By a Solar Flare, right?" Jess asked.

"Yes," Daniel wrinkled his nose and pushed his glasses up.

"Mom told me about your trip to 1969," Jessica explained.

Jessica began to rush around her lab. She opened up a computer and began typing something.

"Of course she did," Daniel mumbled, looking over at Sam and whispered, "It is supposed to be classified."

"It was classified," Sam whispered back.

"Was?" Daniel looked at Sam blankly.

Sam nodded, but told him nothing else on the matter. She turned to Jessica.

"Jess, I need you to . . ." Sam began.

". . . calculate the next Solar Flare," Jessica finished. "I'm already on it, mom."

"Good girl," Sam said, smiling a little. She turned to Daniel, "Let's leave her to her work."

(Adam's Quarter's)

Stacey and Adam were Kel-nor-eming when they heard a baby's cry. Stacey looked around as Adam got up.

"Sorry, it's Jack," Adam said to her. "He's been sick for the last week."

Adam headed for the next room. Stacey got up and followed her.

"Jack?" Stacey asked.

"Emily and My son," he told her. "We named him after Uncle Jack,"

"How old is he?" Stacey asked.

"Two," Adam went over to his son's bed and picked up the boy. He began to sooth the baby. "It's okay, it's okay."

"Have you considered healing him?" Stacey asked him.

"Yes, of course," he told her over the fussy baby.

"Well?" she asked, folding her arms.

"I don't like using my powers. Emily and I are trying to raise Jack as normal as possible," Adam explained.

"Adam, since when is it ever normal around here?" Stacey asked.

"Never. But, I would like to at least try for things to be normal," he told her.

"You know, denying your abilities will only make things worse. You'll loose control," Stacey told him.

Adam gave Jack his medicine and put the two year old down again. The child slowly fell asleep. Adam stepped out of the room.

"I am not denying anything," he hissed at her.

To be continued . . .