"I promise Vala, I promise this can't and won't happen again. You are my life and Ba'al will pay for hurting you. I want to hold you and take you in my arms and take the pain away. I want to take you and Eshera away from prying eyes and just have our life as a family again."
Daniel hung his head down, trying desperately not to touch his wife. He remembers her screams when he tried to hold her the first time. It broke his heart that Vala didn't recognize him, or that she looked haggard, frightened and almost terrified at him holding her. It was like she was looking for someone other than him, he thought. It had bothered him immensely since rescuing Vala and even more bothersome, was the Black Flame seemed to have a life of own, coming from Vala. He remembered how quick the Black Flames attacked the Lucian Alliance's men and how Vala's face seemed contorted even then in pain, while the Black Flames emitted from her body. His thoughts went back to Vala and he heard movement in the back of him. He thought it was Sam or Teal'c coming back to stay with him. He turned to see who it was, and nothing could of prepared him for who was standing behind him. Daniel stood up in surprise and shock.
"AD………ADRIA?"
Daniel instinctively and protectively moved closer to Vala's bed. He was slightly stunned at the form before him. He immediately went into action. He pushed the base alert button.
"SECURITY, SECURITY. GET IN HERE NOW."
"Wait I……………..
The person before him was trying to get Daniel's attention.
Sam looked thru the outer doors and seen the SF guards rush in with weapons ready. She rushed in behind them trying to find out what was happening.
Down the hall in General Landry's office. "What the hell?" Mitchell stood up as well as Teal'c and General Landry.
Walter's voice rang over the com. "Gen Landry; we have an unauthorized intruder in the infirmary. Personnel lockdown has been initiated and the infirmary has been sealed off.
Landry answered back. "Good Walter, find Dr. Lam and coordinate emergency procedures. I'm headed to the infirmary with Teal'c and Col Mitchell."
"Yes Sir."
INFIRMARY
Angrily Daniel pressed his questions, while maintaining a distance to the present threat. "What are you doing here Adria? Daniel was thrown a P90 by one of the guards. He pointed his weapon towards the standing form.
"Daniel what ...
Sam reached for the other SF's P90 and raised her weapon seeing Adria in the room, ready to fire and protect Vala if need be. She couldn't understand how Adria just appeared on base without any warnings.
"God, Sam; Eshera, find Eshera."
"I'm on it. She won't get near her. I promise Daniel." Sam ran out to the next room to protect Eshera.
Daniel cocked his P90 weapon. "ANSWER ME ADRIA. YOU'RE NOT GETTING NEAR VALA. I'LL KILL YOU FIRST AND EVERYONE HERE WON'T HESITATE TO STOP YOU."
The form stood, looking perplexed and frightened. Daniel was confused.
"No…….no please. I……………I don't understand. Why………….
Sam came racing back in and Gen Landry, Mitchell and Teal'c joined her in Vala's room.
"Daniel, Eshera is gone. She's not in her room. I can't find Dr. Lam." Sam turned to the shaking form before her, and both Teal'c and Mitchell had grabbed Zat guns on the way. They were all pointing weapons at the body that crumpled to the floor crying.
"What the hell." Stated Mitchell.
Teal'c interjected. "WHERE IS VALA'S DAUGHTER?" Shouted Teal'c. He too had no patience and primed his weapon. "Vala is my adopted sister and Eshera is my adopted niece. I swore to protect them and all here. You will tell us what you have done with Eshera?"
The form looked up and Teal'c could see the form was crying and gave him a pleading look.
"I………..I am Eshera. Please Uncle Teal'c, help me." She looked towards Daniel pleading also. "Daddy please it's me. Wha………..what's happening to me?"
Teal'c looked closely and stooped down to look in her eyes. He could see she was telling the truth. He put down his weapon and hugged her.
"Teal'c; get away from her. She's lying; she's kidnapped Eshera and trying to kill Vala. I'll kill her, here and now. Step away from here." Daniel was confused at Teal'c's action, not wanting to believe this forms lies.
"Daniel Jackson, this is Eshera. My eyes can see, but my heart knows better. This is your daughter, relinquish your weapons. She is frightened; can you not see thru your heart?"
Sam, Mitchell and Gen Landry all looked at Teal'c and Daniel. They couldn't fathom Teal'c 's actions either. But they knew enough that Teal'c was not easily fooled or rarely wrong in these types of situations.
"I beseech you once again Daniel Jackson. The woman you see before you may look as Adria does, but this is Eshera. I will stake my life on this."
With those words Daniel could not deny Teal'c's reasoning and logic. Then it dawned on Daniel why Eshera was gone from her bed and realized she was dressed in hospital clothing, which were very short.
"OH MY GOD; Eshera, baby." Sam grabbed a blanket from near Vala's bed and covered Eshera. Dr. Lam also finally joined the crowd.
"Stand down men." Ordered Gen Landry. "Dr. Lam is this Vala's daughter Eshera?"
Dr. Lam was just as confused as everyone else. She was checking on other patients and heard the alarm. "I……….I would have to run some test, but that's the same gown Eshera was wearing. Daniel was still in shock and looked at Vala too. He could only think about what Vala would see and how frightened she may be when she woke up seeing a twin looking like Adria.
"Daddy, please, what's happened to me? Why am I like this? I'm scared." Though she appeared to be in adult form as Adria, Eshera still sounded like a frightened child.
Daniel moved to hold her, now believing Teal'c's instincts. "I………I'm so sorry baby. You look like……….it's ok. Everything is going to be ok. You scared us that's all."
"But why, I was sleeping and woke up. I could feel momma in pain. Is she better yet?"
Dr. Lam interrupted. "Let me run a DNA test. Teal'c can you carry her back to her room. It will take me a few minutes to compare the strands and I'll let everyone know."
"Alright Dr. Lam. I'm sending a guard with you." Said Gen Landry. "Dr. Jackson, let's talk in my office. Col Mitchell have personnel stand down and Col Carter, can you stay with Vala until we have conclusive proof?"
"Yes Sir; Daniel I'll be here with Vala. It's going to be ok."
"I will be with Eshera Daniel Jackson. Nothing will happen to her." Stated Teal'c.
Daniel put a hand on Eshera's arm. "Eshera, I'll be right back. Dr. Lam is going to run a few test. We didn't mean to scare you. Everything is fine, your mother is being looked out for, so don't worry, ok."
"Yes father, I will." Eshera sunk into Teal'c's protective arms. To Daniel she looked more fragile than he realized. He knew this must be scarring her and much as anyone and smiled tentively to reassure his daughter.
Sam sat near Vala's bed, heeding Dr. Lam's warning not to touch her. Teal'c and a guard followed Dr. Lam back to Eshera's room, while Daniel and Col Mitchell followed Gen Landry. Daniel face already contorted in worry for Vala, moved from her room in thought. Mitchell was already thinking what the General might be aware of. If Woosley get's wind of Eshera's growth spurt into an adult, there could be repercussions again to Daniel's family as well as IOA's interference into security matters. Daniel was quite on the way to Gen Landry's office as well. He now realized that Eshera looking like Adria was going to complicate his family situation, than having a twin walking around. He felt a shiver down his spine at the prospect of Vala rejecting Eshera and well aware of what Woosley would do if he found out.
A/N: TBC later today. I had to interject this in or I would go crazy. More later I promise.