The next day seemed uneventful and after breakfast Chloe went to seek out Rush hoping he'd have something for her to do since TJ couldn't even make up stuff for her to help with any longer, she found him rather quickly at the far end of the blackboard corridor scribbling away with a piece of white chalk that was almost non-existent. He didn't notice her at all until she cleared her voice, even then Rush only glanced up and nodded in greeting before going back to his notes on the top half of the wall.

"No Cressida?" She asked softly.

Rush stepped back from his notes and quickly re-read them, changed a single symbol and then turned to face Chloe, she had her arms wrapped around her naked shoulders and couldn't help but think she should have worn her jacket.

"She's with Lieutenant Johansen, she asked to spend some time with Cress. I thought it would be a good idea since I need to work." He told her quickly.

"That was nice of you. She's out of your hair for a while then."

The young beauty smiled delicately at the grumpy older man and watched as he set down his bit of chalk sensing she wanted to ask something, Chloe couldn't help but notice how handsome his hands were long and piano like, she'd always had a thing for hands.

"Can I help you with something, Miss Armstrong?"

There was silence for a moment and then she began to speak somewhat hesitantly, that surprised Rush a little, Chloe was usually such a strong person but stood there looking at him she seemed small, as though she didn't exactly know what she was asking.

"We have a child together I think you can call me Chloe." Rush nodded, with a deep breath she got to the point. "... How are you doing it?

"Doing what?"

"Being a parent to Cressida?" She looked him in his eyes locking rich azure with honey whiskey. "You just suddenly became her Father. It's like you found a book or downloaded how to be a father from Destiny or something."

Rush breathed out a laugh.

"I hadn't even thought to look for parenting books in the ships system, searching for anything to help with ALS has been at the top of our list." He sighed and fell silent for a second or two. "To answer your question I don't know how I'm doing it, I just am. Maybe it's because I always wanted children or because I took care of Gloria when she got sick. Cress likes to help with the ship too so I guess I just focus on being a teacher again."

"You always wanted to be a father?"

"Yeah, never happened though, and I bury myself in my work so I didn't think I'd be much good at it. Didn't stop the want though." Chloe smiled a little at that, she thought Rush was a rather good parent.

"Matt doesn't think I should spend time with her but-" She cut herself off.

"You want to." He finished for her in a flat tone, he understood how she felt and Chloe nodded.

"Did the blue aliens really make her? The Nakai."

"It's the only explanation that makes sense." He told her softly.

"Then she needs us even more." Rush admired Chloe's heart, her kindness and pure goodness. "How do I-?" She cut herself off again.

"Chloe..." She liked the way his accent made her name sound. "... I can't tell you how to bea mother but I think you need to be sure it's what you want before you try. If you suddenly decide it's not what you want it will be even harder for you and Cress."

She knew what he was saying was for the best, Chloe didn't want to end up hurting the little girl – their little girl. She sighed.

"You're right. Why are you always right, Rush?"

"It's a talent."

Chloe laughed and it caused him to smile, she was the only one who laughed at his jokes; even the stupid ones. His dark eyes watched as she pushed a stray strand of dark hair behind her ear, Cressida certainly had her father's eyes but her hair that came straight from Chloe. No one could deny they'd made a beautiful daughter, even if they weren't actively involved. His mind suddenly came back to him when Chloe started talking again.

"If she likes things that you do maybe Cress would like some of my hobbies. I could try that."

In the end she didn't really need Rush to tell her how to be Cressida's Mother, she would figure it out on her own.

"It's as good a place to start as any."

Rush expected her to leave then, to walk away having gotten her answer but instead she remained putting him at a loss for words. Silence stretched on and just as he reached for his chalk again her voice quietly whispered.

"Why did you call her Cressida? It's not the sort of name you'd think of quickly like Jessica or Marie."

"Cressida is one of the moons of Uranus, it was discovered in nineteen-eighty-six by Voyager2. The moon was named from the Shakespeare play Troilus and Cressida – she's the Trojan daughter of Calchas - I like it because the play is confusing, it goes back and forth between tragic gloom and comedy, people find it hard to understand. However, the play does question the values of honor, hierarchy and even love. It's similar to Cress, how she got here and where she came from is hard to understand and the thought of the Nakaisteeling out genetic information is both horrifying while at the same time it gave us her so I don't even care they stole pieces of me."

Chloe could have cried, Cressida was a beautifully unique name with a beautiful story behind it that Rush had really thought about. In actuality he'd thought about all that after the name had tumbled from his lips, seemed his subconscious had thought it all through before he'd had chance.

"As for Isobel, it was my Mother's name."

"They're beautiful names." She told him truthfully. "I always like Verdi and Annalise. Never been very fond of my Mom's name though, Patricia."

"You're secret is safe with me."

That earned Rush another one of her beautiful smiles that he thought were just heavenly.

"Can I maybe take her from TJ for the day?"

Rush looked a little gone-out, he'd not expected Chloe to bother asking him, Camilecertainly didn't bother; it was funny to watch the seven year old repeat the word no over and over in a stubborn tone that matched his own though.

"Of course. You're her Mother, you don't have to ask."

With another of those big smiles Chloe was gone leaving Rush stood there with a piece of white chalk still in his hands.

XXXX

Lieutenant Scott was tired but it wouldn't stop him from enjoying his evening, nor would the slight ache in his feet from having run laps of the ship that morning. Now they'd finished waking everyone up Destiny was once again abuzz with noise and the mutterings of conversations that partially echoed down the long dark metal hallways, sometimes loud enough to know who was speaking but not about what. On his way to his and Chloe's quarters he passed Varro who was helping Lisa Park down the hallway towards the mess hall, he had his arm linked with hers and looked like a perfect gentleman. Doctor Park had started to report being able to see very faint patches of grey amongst the blackness andthe whole ship was hopeful that she'd soon see again. He greeted them as they passed by.

Since Camile and Young had returned from Earth the Colonel hadn't been happy with General O'Neill's ordered but there wasn't much he could do about them, Camile had just been smug. Matt himself was still wary of Cressida as she'd been named – that really is a stupid name, he thought as he walked – since they knew next to nothing about her and if being on Destiny had taught him anything it was to be prepared for danger at a moments notice. Matt just didn't want her hurting Chloe by turning out to have been on the Nakai'sside the whole time or indeed physically. They'd all had their suspicions about the blue alien's involvement in Cressida's appearance and Rush's conclusions only made him worry more. Matt just wanted everyone to be safe.

It took but a moment more of walking for Lieutenant Scott to arrive at his quarters, he hit the button and stepped inside to see Chloe settled on the bed with Cressida at her side following along as she read to the little girl. She had one arm wrapped around her daughter and the other resting the book she'd gotten off Doctor Park on her legs that towered up like a pyramid, Jane Eyre wasn't really the sort of novel Chloe would normally read but it wasappropriate for such a young girl and they had a pretty limited selection of books on assumed as well that with Cress' advanced intellect she'd be able to comprehend the characters just fine; she'd been right and Mister Edward Rochester had already become a favourite of Cressida's.

"Hey Matt." Chloe greeted as soon as she noticed him stood there. "I was just reading to Cress."

"Em, okay. I just wanted to get changed and to know if you wanted to come play poker with me, Greer, James and some others?"

Chloe didn't even think for a second.

"I'm going to stay here and read to Cress."

"Come on Chloe." He smiled, since waking from stasis they'd not really spent much time together. "Give her to Rush and let's have fun. We've not had any in ages.

She offered him a soft smile before answering and Cressida wriggled in her arms trying to get comfortable.

"Maybe next time."

Chloe really wanted to try this mothering thing and so far she was doing rather well, turned out that the little girl liked yoga and reading was quickly becoming a favourite as was suddenly pulled from her thoughts when Matt picked up a spare t-shirt from what had been serving as a dresser and he started to speak again, this time in a more sorrowful tone.

"I'll see you later then."

He pulled off his sweaty black top and threw it down on the makeshift dresser before tugging on the replacement, the whole time he had his back to them as though he was somehow embarrassed for Cressida to see him shirtless, then he left. Matt didn't storm out or huff but Chloe could tell she'd upset him, it was true they'd not spent much time together – not for lack of trying thought Chloe – and she knew that poker was him trying to make an effort but she had Cress now. Chloe had supported him when he found out about his son but Matt seemed to think she shouldn't have a daughter, as to why she didn't know, Chloe suspected it was a combination of worry, fear of what the Nakai would do, and the fact that Nicholas Rush was her father and not Matt himself. He'd come around in time.

For a time the length of which Chloe didn't know she just stared at the closed door in an almost frozen mental state but little hands pushing at her stomach and Cressida's beautiful voice dragged her back to the world around her.

"Mommy, keep reading."

"Sorry."

Blue eyes went back to the page and continued to read aloud.

A few hours went by and Chloe got through a good portion of Jane Eyre before she realised that Cress had fallen asleep at her side, she just sat there for a while watching her darling daughter sleeping peacefully all wrapped up in the oversized t-shirt they'd taken from Airman Dunning; we have to get you some real clothes.

Knowing it was getting late and that Matt would return from playing poker with the others soon she decided that the best place for Cressida would be Rush's room where she'd slept every night but the first; the woman with blue eyes thought Cress would find that comforting to wake up to. Ever so carefully she lifted the seven year old into her arms and after a few seconds of trying to reach the door release headed off towards Rush's quarters, they were as far away from everyone else as he could physically get which didn't surprise her much. TJ saw her on the way and grinned down at the sleeping angel in her Mother's arms, nigh-night Sweety she'd told her. Chloe was thankful to get to Rush's room as Cress was beginning to get a little heavy in her arms, after fumbling with the second door release she stepped inside to see Rush half way through taking his green t-shirt off and froze in the doorway.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you'd still be working."

It wasn't like she'd walked in on him naked but there was still something intimate about that situation that threw Chloe a little, Rush didn't seem to notice nor care. Chloe would be lying if she said she'd not noticed the way his slender muscles contracted under his white shirt. He wasn't a muscular man like Greer or Scott and he wasn't chubby like Volkerinstead Nicholas was lean and toned, probably stronger than he looked as well. She pushed those thoughts away.

"No, it's alright. Lieutenant Johansen says I need more sleep and since I'm running a diagnostic of the ship's systems I can't really keep working until it's done. I may as well take her advice."

"Good idea. You shouldn't make yourself sick." Suddenly she remembered the small girl in her arms. "I thought Cressida would be happier to wake up here than in my room."

"Probably best." He said while pulling his waistcoat to the other side of his bed so Chloecould carefully set Cress down. "I doubt Lieutenant Scott would want Cressida there."

Just as Chloe tried to pull her hands away Cress' shot out to grab her hand.

"Mommy please stay. Please?" She muttered sleepily, only half conscious.

"It's alright you've got your Daddy." Chloe tried to comfort her daughter.

"Please?" The seven year old all but begged.

She glanced to Rush who gave her a short nod that said he didn't mind and finally relented.

"Alright, but just until you fall asleep."

The girl with dazzling blue eyes sat down on the side of the bed closet to the door while Rush clambered in on the other leaving only Cressida to separate them, Cress muttered a night Mommy, night Daddy before settling down and drifting back off, Rush didn't hear it though since he was asleep the second his head hit the pillow, how exhausted is he? Chloesat there in the dark waiting until she was absolutely sure Cress wouldn't wake up but she never got up to leave, instead Chloe fell asleep with one arm snaked around her daughter and a grumpy Scotsman less than a foot from her.