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Chapter Twenty-Three: Life Goes On

Life is thankfully not always about whose getting kidnapped or cursed in the world of the Vannas and SG1. The twins and Jacob continued to grow and flourish, Jack and Teal'c were put to work training non-magical fighting and Sam and Daniel continued in their studies and teaching. Time kept moving and there was love in their new home. This love was easily shared between spouses, friends and the children.

Adrian continued to drop by frequently, started Daniel's classes and learning from Jack. Zarkina stopped by once every couple of days to be with the babies or just to chat with Daniel. It was calm for so long, they forget what drama could look like. They forgot what the sounds of fighting and anger sounded like bouncing off the walls because there was nothing to fight about. They knew how they wanted to be, which was happy and together.

Sam and Teal'c would frequently take the twins to give Daniel and Jack a date night and they did the same by taking Jacob. Their relationships were easier then they had been in a while because of the change inherent in having children and not to mention the fact that they all still lived together. Sam and Teal'c had mentioned already that they would love to have a place of their own where Sam could set up experiments safely and they could get a little separation from the team, which for all intents and purposes no longer existed. If they were to accept the Vannas island and the time as their new home for real then each couple would need to find a way to become singular and unique. They could not remain SG1 forever despite the deep friendships that would always be there.

In the time of stillness, Akina set about to creating a home for Sam and Teal'c next door to Jack and Daniel's home. Much like before, the time it would take to construct the home would be much quicker with magical help. Still with Sam giving in depth input it would take more time because she had precise ideas on her lab and how to keep everything safe from her little one and so there ended up being two buildings, the house smaller than Daniel and Jack's because much of the square footage was going to be wrapped up in her lab which was making her so happy, she could be found giggling and grinning most of the time.

During this time of peace, SG1 found them celebrating surviving their first year in this time. A fact that Zarkina had made them aware of a few days before so Jack decided that it called for a little partying.

So today Jack was overseeing some cooking while Daniel got the babies ready in their formal wear for the day. At six months old, they were both siting up easily now and watched him from the bed as he dressed in some black slacks and a white shirt with a deep blue vest to go over it. Zada was wearing a dark blue dress and little slippers over the leggings she was wearing under the dress and Zale was wearing a grey shirt with little black pants and boots on his feet. Their outfits were commissioned specially, Zarkina had introduced Daniel and Jack to the seamstresses of the Vannas people and every single one had fallen all over them to help fix something up for the little ones. Daniel knew Jack was changing into a grey button up shirt and black slacks as well so Zale would match his father. Daniel was constantly reminded that Zale was not biologically Jack's with his surrogate mother's dark hair and Daniel's blue eyes but in a lot of ways the attitude that was already starting to emerge reminded Daniel of his husband more than Daniel himself. Zada too it seemed took after Daddy Jack but Daniel found himself not minding all that much, it just meant that he would always have a little bit of Jack as long as his kids were around.

Just then Jack came tromping up the stairs and into their bedroom, throwing clothes around the room as he quickly changed, "People will be arriving soon Danny, are you all ready up here?"

Daniel gestured to the bed where both twins were watching Jack in what seemed like baby amusement. Jack took in their outfits and turned into a squealing teenage girl right before Daniel's eyes. "Oh my god, you two are the cutest little bugs I ever did lay my eyes on!"

Daniel snickered, "I am so glad that you are secure in your masculinity."

Jack leaned down and kissed each child noisily then looked up at Daniel, "Baby, I was recently screaming out an orgasm while you were filling me up so nicely, if I didn't worry about my masculinity then, why would I now?"

Jack had a point there, last night had been one for the record books of their first year together, didn't go to sleep but barely a couple of hours before the babies woke for ther first changing and feeding. Of course that was the reason Daniel was dragging his feet a little today but it was worth it to take Jack and be taken by home, over and over again until neither of them had anything left to give.

Daniel crooked a finger at Jack and the Colonel walked around the bed with his beautiful bare chest and Daniel pulled him close, wishing he could feel that expanse of warm skin across his chest but if he took off any clothes then they were going to miss their party. Instead he kissed Jack deeply before pushing the dazed man back to the dresser where he was putting together his clothing for the evening. Daniel picked up Zale and walked out of the room, "See you out back lover."

"Yea sure you betcha," Jack returned and changed quickly as Zada jabbered away at him in baby babble when out of nowhere she gestured towards him as if she wanted him to pick her up and said clear as a bell, "Dada."

Jack froze and turned to her, "What?"

"Dada," she said again obediently. He pulled his shirt on quickly and reached down to pick her up.

"Who is daddy's smart girl, you are my beautiful Zada!" he said excitedly. He kissed her again before he jerked his shirt closed and buttoned it up before he ran out of the bedroom and downstairs to the back porch where Daniel was chatting with Adrian already. The young man was holding Zale and Daniel turned to take Zada and handed her off to Zarkina who apparently called dibs on their daughter.

"What did you do?" Daniel asked with a laugh as he unbuttoned Jack's shirt and he looked down to see he'd buttoned them crookedly.

"Zada said 'Dada'," Jack said to Daniel even as he let his husband fix his shirt.

"What?" Daniel asked. Then again Zada said it at they both turned to look at her. This time she was looking right at Daniel when she said it another time and suddenly everyone was cheering and laughing with congratulations over such a little word but Daniel couldn't help the tears that slid down his cheek then Jack was kissing them away before they each kissed Zada on the head and walked out to join the party. Most of the people who were here were those who around for SG1's arrival here. The Greer family who were all beloved students as well as some of the warriors Jack taught. Damnation was there as well as all of the royal family sans Winter of course. Everyone ate and drank, talked and laughed together. Then Jack stood and looked around at the people who now shared his life as friends and family, "Thank you all for coming to eat our food and play with our babies," people chuckled at that. "I would just like to say that you are all a welcome addition to my life, the life we live today is in no small part thanks to you all, giving us a reason to keep moving forward. Thank you for all you have done, all that we can never really repay and thank you for coming to celebrate with us our survival of the first year among Vannas and crazy humans."

Everyone cheered and clapped, then the desserts were shared about and Daniel watched as the party wore on. As it was getting dark he decided to take the kids to bed and took Zada from Kirkan who was talking to her about fighting techniques, apparently to help her from teenage Vannas boys to which Daniel thouroughly approved. Then walked to Adrian who had somehow found Zale again. "Will you help me get them up to bed?"

The young man nodded and followed Daniel into the house and they walked up the stairs and into the first bedroom. Daniel changed Zada then traded Adrian who immediately sat down in Jack's rocking chair with Zada and held the small bottle to her. They were still getting a little bit of milk just before bed but pretty soon that would stop. Zale was calmly staring up at Daniel as he changed the little one, his little boy easily came to Daniel and he sat down in the other rocker and immediately started singing to his son and Zada as well. He loved to hum and sing to them in the evening and it always seemed to put them to sleep faster than anything else. He put the single serving bottle of milk against Zale's lips and the little man opened for the nipple.

It didn't take long for the little exhausted children to fall into a deep slumber and so the two men settled their sweet bundles into their cribs and walked back out of the room, "You have a wonderful voice, you only sing for your babies?"

"And Jack when he's with me," Daniel corrected.

Adrian smiled, "Thank you for a rare treat, I have heard Jack say in passing that he loves you more when you are playing daddy than any other time and I can see what he means now. You are a wonderful father."

"Thank you," Daniel said with a smiled, cautious about Adrian after all the trouble Daniel tended to get into. It sounded like a come on but Adrian never gave any indication that he would take advantage of Daniel if left alone with him.

"Please do not worry," Adrian said with a grin, "If I was going to grab you and kiss you, I would wait until Jack was around to see it," he said it with a wink before he took off towards the back door again and Daniel didn't know what to say to that at all.

He followed behind the youngster and found Jack speaking to Adrian and Jack was grinning like a chesire cat who clearly found a bird cage full of canaries. Daniel walked over and nudged his husband, "Twins are sleeping."

Jack leaned down to kiss Daniel, not moving away from Adrian who just smiled at both of them. "Everyone is getting ready to go home, why don't you go to bed, I know you must be tired."

"I can wait," Daniel said and started walking around to say his goodbyes to their guest when Zarkina pulled him aside.

"You shouldn't worry, Adrian thinks of you both as more older brothers or possibly a father figure, he is just winding you up."

"Why?" Daniel questioned even as he watched Adrian grab a hold of Jack in a bear hug before he pulled Daniel's spouse along behind him around the area. It was really friendly for someone over half Jack's age.

"Ask what Adrian's main power is someday, we believe his constant use of said ability may have altered his personality but at the basis of who he is, he is a straight man interested in women. Also he likes younger prey not older and wiser. Which kicks you both out of the running."

Daniel nodded, "If you think it changed him so much then how could you possibly know he was still the same really?"

"Because he hasn't had a father or a strong male figure in his life in a very long time and the way he looks at you really when you aren't watching him is like family. He respects your vows to each other, he just wants to be a part of your family."

"So we did adopt a teenager," Daniel said with a laugh.

Akina sighed, "Only as long as you feel comfortable with him, he will continue to play with you but now you know the truth of his intent so you can play right back, it is my subtle and sweet revenge for the information he told you and Jack."

Daniel laughed at that, then leaned forward and kissed Zarkina on the cheek before waving her away. The rest of the guests wandered out and the couples with the help of Adrian cleaned up the back yard before Adrian left with a sloppy kiss to Jack's cheek who just stared at him in confusion before Daniel returned the gesture, kissing Adrian on his forehead which sent the boy scurrying out the door in embarrassment, red cheeks and everything.

Daniel had to laugh at the response before they all closed up the back door and Taj growled his annoyance as he commanded the door open with his nose and crawled across the living room to rest in his large bed in the corner. Daniel and Jack said good night to Teal'c and Sam then went up to their bedroom, got ready and flopped into bed under the covers.

"What was with Adrian?" Jack asked. "And you?" he continued as he leaned down and kissed Daniel's upturned lips.

"Adrian is screwing with us, trying to flirt and though he's pretty good at it, the Queen told me not to worry, to start screwing with him in return. He sees us as family, not someone to sleep with. She said that there was no doubt, he would respect the vows we made to one another."

Jack nodded and settled down to sleep.

"Jack?" Daniel called out.

"Yeah?"

"This calm time, its what comes before a storm right?" Daniel asked quietly.

"Yeah baby but don't worry. No matter what happens when we will be together."

Daniel sighed, thankful for that at least.