Mother, we must shove her thru. We can no longer hold onto this battle. She is too strong. Only the black hole will………….no mother; you can't hold her off by yourself. Nooooo……….
Vala placed her hand on Eshera's cheek and she was gone. Vala turned her full attention on Adria and floated towards her in a full rush of flames. Both Adria and Vala entangled and with the force of Vala pushing Adria thru the hole, she too was engulfed. Adria was gone, and so was Vala. The black hole stopped as if it had been plugged up. The entire black hole was gone, as well as the rest around the galaxies.
Eshera materialized on the Hata'k, looking around, she immediately rushed towards the viewing windows. The only thing she could see was the burnt out shell of the Ori ship. The black hole, Adria and now her mother, were gone.
Sam was the first to see Eshera appear and see her run to the view window. Jack had barely registered what was happening.
"MOTHER………..MOTHER……….NOOOOOOO." Eshera continued to shout. Only then recognizing his daughters voice, did Daniel look up and see her. He immediately ran over to her, holding her in a embrace, while she continued to see nothing out the window.
She fell to the floor, grasping her father and crying. "She…………….she's gone daddy; she's gone. I couldn't stop…….stop her. She wouldn't ……………
Daniels heart was breaking both ways. Seeing his daughter crying for her mother and him devastated at losing his wife, his love of his life; Vala. once again.
All Sam and the rest could do was watch in their grief as well as their own loss of a very loved friend.
"I'm here honey……..I'm here." Findin himself crying, Daniel could do nothing to console her. He really didn't know what else to say or do.
Vala………..Oh God, Vala. Why…….why you? Why must you always be the sacrifice? Why must my family always be the ones to suffer?
Jack walked over to Sam. "Sam, is there any reading of what's left out there at all?"
Still a little out of it Sam turned to the computers. "Ah…….no……no there's nothing that show's any sign of the black hole. It……..it just vanished."
"I don't know what to do for them Sam. Vala just saved all of us again. I don't know if Daniel or Eshera will ever recover from this."
Cam pulled up beside them, while Teal'c kept a protective watch over Daniel and Eshera. "General what can we do?"
Jack looked over at Daniel. He knew his friend would never get over Vala's death. The only existence he would have is for his daughter now. He also knew deep down, that Daniel would never return to SGC.
Jack hated when he had to command those hard decisions. "Sam, hail the Prometheus. We can't do anymore right now. Teal'c and I will do what we can with Daniel and Eshera."
"Jack……….
"I know Sam……….I know." Jack took Sam hand, understanding her loss of a friend and knowing she wanted to be close to him as well.
Jack walked over to Daniel. "Daniel……..Daniel." Daniel wouldn't or couldn't answer. Eshera was still crying, with her head buried in her father's chest.
Jack looked back at Teal'c. He decided to just give them all the time they needed to grieve. He and Teal'c watched as they too would miss Vala, very very much.
Once the Hata'k landed in the bay, the Prometheus medical team was called in to check over Eshera. Daniel wouldn't allow anyone to get close to them. He carried Eshera to a room, saying nothing to anyone. He sat by her bedside, while she slept. He never came out until the Prometheus arrived in the Milky Way and back at SGC. Dr. Lam had ordered SG1 and Eshera to the medical bay for debriefing. Daniel obliged but only for Eshera's sake. Both him and his daughter never said anything, only starring at each other. Once they were released, Daniel went back to his quarters and watched over Eshera. General Landry was in debriefing with Jack and informed the rest of the team about the black holes that formed over earth. There was great devastation and knew from what Jack had explained, it had to do with the fight between Adria and Vala. Teal'c decided to sit outside Daniels door. He was never disturbed.
"There's nothing left of the Ori ship Jack?" Landry knew that his elite team was in grief at their loss of Vala.
"No Hank. Vala…….Vala sacrificed herself to save us. I want full honors for her. Daniel………Daniel probably won't stay at SGC. He really hasn't said anything since arriving back on the Prometheus. I don't think he will be the same again."
"Hell, I won't be the same again." Cam stated.
Sam sat back still stunned over Vala's death. "Sir……..
"Yes Colonel Carter." Landry was concerned she had said nothing through the debriefing. Sam had made a decision between the loss of Vala and knowing anything could happen to any of them anytime.
"Sir I want to resign my commission?"
"WHAT? Cam, Jack and General Landry all answered at the same time.
"Colonel Carter, I can understand why, but take some time off first. You can't……..
"No Sir; I've made up my mind. I want to help Daniel possibly and I want to have a life before it's too late. I just lost one of my closest friends, again. I've seen to much of my friends and comrades die and I'm tired, I'm tired of all this dying." Sam sat there and let her emotions flow out.
Jack and Hank understood more than she could imagine. Cam sat silent, watching Sam. "Hank, I think I know where this is going. I can't say for Col Carter, but I want to be around to help Daniel. He's suffered so much and I can see life is too short to not let someone you care about not know how you feel."
Jack turned to Sam and took her hand. "I…….I would agree with Col Carter and like to spend the rest of my life with her."
Cam smiled at this revelation. He knew there was something between Jack and Sam, but dismissed it unless the subject came up.
Sam looked at Jack and her eyes welled up with tears. Jack just smiled as Landry looked on. He really wasn't surprised, but knew that their decision was based on the death of their dear friend.
"I tend to agree Jack. I'll make sure you won't have any problem from the President. I say he owes you two and then some."
Sam turned to Landry. "No Sir; we owe Vala."
Hank bowed his head and then looked up at both of them with sadness. "I'll make the arraignments for a memorial for Vala. Whatever Dr. Jackson needs, we'll take care of it. Just let him know he has our deepest condolences." General Landry and Mitchell left the conference room, looking back one more time before they closed the door.
"Jack………I…….I." Sam finally broke down to cry. Losing a second friend and watching Daniel become nothing more than a shell after his loss was too much to hold in.
Jack just held her for however long she wanted. He made no excuses for Sam, and he would grieve along with her. It was their time, their time.
Daniel sat watching his daughter sleep. He still could not register that Vala was gone. He felt numb all over, he wanted to scream, cry, hit something, but nothing came to him. His only presence he registered was Eshera.
Eshera had cried herself to sleep. Barely a chance to survive, except for her mothers sacrifice. Daniel could hear her mumbling something incoherent, but he still couldn't move. Finally she awoke, shouting for her mother. Daniel was immediately by her side. He held her, comforting her, or himself, he didn't care. To him, time had stood still and he was lost.
"Daddy?" Still Daniel didn't respond. He couldn't speak.
"Please daddy, I don't understand. Why mother……..why did she do it? I could of helped her. She……..I……..felt her love, her emotions."
Daniel continued to hold Eshera as he starred at the walls, wanting so desperately to say something to his daughter about Vala. But he couldn't, he couldn't. As Eshera started to say something.
"OFF WORLD ACTIVATON. OFF WORLD ACTIVATION." Walters voice came over the loud speaker. Teal'c was immediately alert. He figured Daniel and Eshera were safe and moved towards the gateroom. Sam and Jack immediately broke their embrace and headed out too.
Sam looked at Jack. "Adria……….she…..she couldn't of came back, could she?"
"I don't know Sam. I don't know."
In the gateroom SF were deployed, weapons ready. In the booth, General Landry and Mitchell had everyone on alert. Jack and Sam had joined them, ready for what was coming thru the Stargate.
"Walter who is the IDC from?" Asked Landry.
"We have no idea Sir. The gate dialed on its own."
General Landry looked at everyone in the control room "What ever comes thru, we better be prepared. Colonel Carter can you see if you can identify the IDC."
"Already on it Sir." After a few minutes the stargate whooshed to life. The SF cocked their weapons. "Sorry Sir, there's no identifiable code. Whatever is coming thru, will be here in a few minutes."
Landry was already on the comm. "TEAMS BE READY."
Finally a form came thru after a tense wait. Jack, Sam and Teal'c immediately recognized the person.
"Lya?" Sam mentioned.
General Landry recognized the person from SG1's first reports. She was of the Nox. A race that Jack had reported as possibly older than any Ancients, but especially the Goua'ld.
Lya starred at the glass booth, she said nothing, but General Landry did. "ALL TEAMS STAND DOWN. STANDARD ALERT, STANDARD ALERT."
"Permission to speak to her Sir." Asked Jack.
"Go ahead; keep me abreast of what's going on Jack."
After General Landry left the booth. Sam, Jack and Teal'c approached Lya, who still had not said a word and stood quite and neutral. Cam stayed in the booth.
Sam was the first to approach. "Lya we never expected you here. Is there anything wrong?"
"Ah, Col Carter, Col Jack and Teal'c; greetings."
Teal'c bowed as Jack and Sam were waiting anxiously for an answer. "Where is Daniel Jackson? Is he not well?"
"No Lya, he's a little out of it right now. I can't explain right now, but can you tell us why we have the pleasure of your visit?" Asked Jack.
"Ohper and Anteaus wish you well also."
Jack hated this of the Nox. Always gracious and concerned, but always kept you waiting until they took their time to explain themselves.
"Ok, now can you please explain why you are here?"
"Children never do as they are told, you know this Colonel Jack."
"Yes….yes so?" Sam elbowed Jack.
"Go ahead Lya, we are sort of concerned for someone. We lost a great friend today."
"Ah, that explains the sorrow I feel from all of you."
"Yeah." Sam said slowly, remembering of the days events.
"I have come because of those children. You have known that we had buried the stargate so others could not find us and we live in peace."
"Yes, we never heard from you again, except for that one time. But why come to us again?
"There was a great disturbance felt and we had to investigate. We feared that lost ones where in trouble and we found that our concerns were true."
Teal'c interjected. "The Lost one?"
"Yes, great Teal'c. The Ancients were of a lost generation. They too have remained hidden, until now. We have always sensed them to be driven by their own needs, but not yet ready to embrace our way. To this, that is why I am here."
"I…..we don't understand." Said Sam.
"The balance is no longer in balance. The Ancients were not in balance and refused our way. Being so imbalanced they caused their own harm and to others. We left them to their way, until we could be useful once again."
"I always thought the Ancients were distant and mystical. Now I know were they got it from." Jack smirked.
"I understand Col Jack. But there were many disturbances throughout the universe. These disturbances could not be ignored. The Ancients were once our children, and they behaved as spoiled children. We allowed them to develop on their own without interference. As parents, you allow your children to make their own mistakes and hope that one day they will return wiser for it."
"So the Ancients were brats in other words." Said Jack.
"I do not understand this brat, but believe you are stating the obvious."
"Man she's good. But you still haven't answered our question Lya. It's been a long day and we have some other concerns we need to attend to." Jack was thinking about Daniel.
"This is why I am here. Our children have been vanquished and we must restore what has been lost. They have done much damage in the millennium and we must balance out, which is no longer balanced. The took an innocent and that is an abomination to us. You cannot take what is not yours to give."
"Lya, we just don't know to what extent you are talking about. The Ancients claimed never to interfere, except Oma and Merlin and then she was punished for helping us find what Merlin had hidden on earth."
"No, they hid an innocent among you, and then used that innocent to seek revenge against their own. The Ancients were split in two; the Ori and Ancients were as one as our children. They devised themselves, pitted themselves against their own brothers and sisters."
Sam was quick to understand. "You mean Vala as the lost child was used by them all this time?" Both Jack and Teal'c understood.
"Yes, she was used by the Ancients to take out their own ignorance and revenge on one another. The Goua'ld were sent to protect her, and used this innocent to betray the Ancients. They were outcast among the Ancients. When the innocent was lost again, she was found by the Ori and used against the Ancients to produce the Orici. Another innocent being that was used for their own selfish needs. However to their end, they all put an end to an innocents life force. She was never meant to perish, but only produce another off spring to defeat their own errors."
"Lya; Vala was that innocent, wasn't she?" Asked Sam.
"Yes, when our children vanished, we searched for what was lost. We have found this innocent once again." Lya turned around and a body floated thru.
"VALA." Cam was surprised as well, while observing.
Teal'c immediately took hold of Vala's body and laid her on the ground. Sam and Jack approached, seeing Vala was unconscious.
"Lya…how…….we…….we thought she was dead. The black hole swallowed both Adria and her. There……..there was no way to save her." Sam was puzzled and grateful at the same time.
Oh God, Daniel……..Daniel, what will he think.
"As I explained, there was no balance. The innocent must be restored and balance along with it. The black hole was caused by imbalance and the innocent one was not the one to perish. We retrieved her in time and now we restore her to you. She will wake in time, but she must be cared for. This can only be done by those who know her well."
"What can we do?" Jack asked.
Lya turned to leave up the ramp. "Restore her by what you already know." With those last words, Lya turned to go threw the stargate. "I must take leave of you now. We are sorry for what has happened. We will contact you again, when you are ready."
"Sam get a med team down here and Dr. Lam. I've got to tell Daniel that Vala is alive. I just hope he listens."
Teal'c lifted Vala and all three descended away from the ramp. The Stargate immediately formed a blue puddle without the whoosh. Lya turned and smiled and went thru the horizon. The gate shut down and nothing.
The med team and Dr. Lam were immediately shocked to see Vala. Teal'c gently laid Vala on the gurney. Vala was rushed to the infirmary with Teal'c, Cam and Sam close behind. Jack rushed towards Daniels room.
Pounding on the door, Jack rushed in. Daniel and Eshera were sitting on the bed saying nothing. Daniel could see the grief all over Daniel and Eshera just sitting there hopeless.
"Daniel, get off your ass and come with me. Vala's alive."
Eshera raised up, trying to pull her father with her. "Daddy come on."
Daniel just sat on the bed motionless. Not even registering that Eshera had left his embrace and pulling at him. Eshera again pulled at Daniel. He didn't move and Eshera couldn't get through to him.
"Dammit Daniel; I don't have time for this." Jack punched him in the face.
At first Daniel didn't register anything, and sat there on the floor. Then he just became angry and tried to punch Jack back. Jack ducked and had him in a headlock.
"Daddy stop……….mother is alive. Stop fighting Uncle Jack. Mother is here, I can feel it. She's here."
Daniel stop struggling and finally understood what Eshera was saying. "She……..she can't be. We saw her…….
"That's what I've been trying to tell you Danny boy. Lya from the Nox brought her back. She's in the infirmary. Sam and Teal'c are with her now."
"Lya……….Vala…….she's, alive?"
"Yep, come on, Dr. Lam is looking over her now."
Daniel, was practically being pulled to the infirmary. He didn't want to see, less his hopes were dashed. Eshera thought otherwise. She wanted so desperately to see her mother. When they reached the infirmary observatory, Dr. Lam was checking her for radiation and injuries. Daniel stood stalkingly still. Every emotion he could be going thru right at that point was fear, anxiety and panic. He wanted so desperately to go to his wife. Eshera was crying for joy. She had her mother back, well at least in body. She sensed something was wrong and she couldn't conjure up any flame if she wanted to. But the connection to her mother was still there.
Dr. Lam was finally finished with her examination. Vala looked pale, and Dr. Lam was monitoring her heart and vitals. Teal'c and Sam had stood by the doors and motioned Daniel and Eshera to join them.
"By all rights she should be awake. There's no radiation present and her EEG showed a small amount of abnormal brain patterns. She's very dehydrated, but other than that I have no idea wants wrong with her. I don't have the results of her blood work, but her blood pressure is lower than I want. We're working on that with medication. Right now I think the best medicine for her is rest and time."
"Is……..can we sit with her for awhile? Eshera asked, while Daniel was silent.
"That might be the best medicine. She's in a coma and there's not much more I can do, so I'll let you know if there's anything else we may need for her."
"Guys, can I see you outside." Motioned Jack. "Daniel; you and Eshera spend as much time as you need with Vala."
Daniel moved closer to Vala's bedside. With the monitors beeping Daniel realized Vala was finally with them, but not aware if she was even alive. Eshera climbed up beside her mother, resting her head next to her, like a child. Inside, her memories were more of an child in a adult body. She had matured due to the flames, but she had the needs of a child to be close to her mother. Daniel pulled up a chair next to Vala, took hold of her hand and watched her breathe. He still was a little in shock from her dying and now back to life. He had first hand knowledge that the Nox were capable of bringing bodies back to life, as he did on their planet. But once revived they were fully conscious; Vala was not.
He took hold of her hand, lovingly caressed Vala's face, moving tendrils of hair from her face. Eshera watched as she took in the love of such actions. She knew her father loved her mother and the quite moments sitting there made it all real. Both said nothing; they just wanted to take in that their mother was still alive and with them. Words were meaningless at this moment, only their actions conveyed their love, in both their own ways.
"Wants wrong with Daniel Jack?" Sam noticed Daniel's almost stiffness in the room. Teal'c and Cam were aware also.
"I think he's still in shock over Vala dying and now being alive. Lyra said that Vala must be cared for. That she will recover by those who know her well."
"But that could mean anything Jack. How long will she be like that?"
"I don't know Sam. It might take time, like Carolyn said."
"If that is indeed the truth. Then I will wait with Daniel Jackson and Eshera to make sure Vala will wake." Teal'c inclined.
"Me too Jack." Stated Cam. " We owe Vala to make sure we're here for her. She gave us more time than we realized. The entire galaxy owes her their lives."
"I agree, and I think it's time to call in some favors. A lot of them." Said Jack.
Jack and General Landry approached the President with special request. Since Vala was apart of SGC and the elite SG1, all members were allowed immunity from the IOA. Their actions of saving the earth several times and the galaxy's outweigh any wrong doing under any circumstances. Vala and Eshera were given full citizenship and Vala would be awarded the highest civilian medal. Jack and Sam were to have immunity from the regulations, since Sam was resigning her commission. The President considered them valuable to the SGC program and couldn't afford losing either of them to the program. They were given leave as long as they needed it or until Vala's recovered. The list was small, but Jack and General Landry were pleased that the President was proud of SGC, SG1 and all personnel in it's efforts to keep the earth safe.
Dr. Lam, after further examination could see no reason for keeping Vala in the infirmary. Daniel has insisted to take her home, along with his daughter to care for Vala. Jack, Sam, Cam and Teal'c all volunteered to spend time taking care of Vala and her family. Jack thought it important that Daniel and Eshera didn't wear themselves out and Dr. Lam checked in weekly on Vala's progress at instituting working her limbs daily so they would not go into Hypokinesia or any blood clots. Sam took on showing Eshera around, keeping her occupied and sharing time exploring her new surroundings. While Jack, Daniel and Teal'c kept Daniel company while they all helped exercise Vala's limbs and talking to her. It became a routine for 3 months, and even though Vala was still in a coma, it never diminished their hopes that Vala would come out of her nightmare.
Eshera always sat close to her mother, encouraging her with waking up and telling her all the new experiences with her Uncles and Aunt. Daniel would crawl in beside Vala everyday and tell her how much he missed her. How much he loved her and how everyone else loved her also. He only left her side to eat, shower and make sure Eshera did the same. Of course Jack made sure he made big breakfast every Sunday morning for the gang. He wanted it to become a long tradition for as long as he could.
But on this particular Sunday morning Daniel saw that it was a beautiful day and wanted to bring Vala outside for some sun. Everyone was over for breakfast and Daniel had made a sturdy patio chair lounger a cozy bed for Vala. He had a canopy special made so he could do this several times, without Vala burning from the sun. As everyone started eating breakfast on the patio and chatting they heard a familiar voice.
"I'm starving."
TBC