CHAPTER 7

Thinking quickly, Vala ran over to Daniel and put her hand over his mouth.

"Shut up, it might hear you."

"What might hear me?" Daniel asked thru a muffled voice.

"The baby."

"The baby!" Daniel cried removing Vala's hand from his face. "What do you mean 'the baby' and how is there a baby?"

"First off I want to assure that I did none of the necessary bits. I just woke up one morning, pregnant."

"People just don't wake up one morning pregnant Vala."

"Well I did," she said walking back over to her chair and sitting down. "It was not too long after I had arrived in the Ori galaxy. I just woke up one morning and knew. I think the Ori created it."

"What would make you think that?"

"I overheard a Prior one day. I think this child might be some kind of Ori in human form. You said it yourself that they can't come here or they would feel the wrath of the Ancients, so creating a human with all their knowledge and power would certainly give them an advantage."

"It's also cheating."

"Well I never said it was fair."

Daniel walked over to Vala and pulled up a chair to sit beside her. She could see the warmth in his eyes, the overwhelming concern almost immediately. The months of fear and uncertainty that she had been experienced seemed to be wiped away in that singular moment.

"I'm glad you're here," she said softly as her hands began to caress her swollen abdomen. "Even though, technically you're not really here."

Daniel grabbed Vala's hands gently, "Just tell me one thing – "

"It's really me, Daniel" she said before he could finish.

Without thought Daniel's hands gave Vala's a small squeeze. With an expression of what Vala could only describe as joyful sadness, he looked directly into her eyes.

"Tell me everything and start at the beginning."

"Jackson's missing," Mitchell said as he walked into Sam's office.

"What?!" Sam replied looking up from her calculations. "How long has he been missing?"

"About half of an hour."

"What happened, do you know?"

"I went to talk to him, to personally break the news about why he had to stay in the infirmary. There was an argument but we eventually came to an understanding. He asked me to go to his office and pick up some supplies and when I got back he was gone."

"Have you told anyone else yet?"

"Not yet," Mitchell said as he began to pace. "Landry's still in a meeting with Woolsey and Teal'c left for Dakara to check on their progress regarding the Supergate."

"Daniel hates the infirmary," Sam said as she walked out the door of her office and down the hall.

"Who in the world likes it?" Mitchell said sprinting to catch up. "Except for maybe, Dr. Lam."

They stopped at the elevator as Sam pushed the button for up.

"You don't get it."

"No I don't seem to understand much of anything nowadays."

Sam waited until both of them were in the elevator before saying anything to him.

"Daniel died in that infirmary Cameron."

"I know that he has, more than once according to record."

Frustrated Sam pushed the emergency stop button and for the first time Mitchell could see that there were tears forming in her eyes.

"I'm talking about the time that he died and ascended. For three agonizing days I watched and waited and hoped and prayed. But nothing helped. He just wasted away before our eyes. Then finally he left us. And I didn't think I could ever move on from it. A part of me never has. Every time he gets injured or ends up in the infirmary all I can think about is that moment and I know that Daniel does too."

"Sam – "

"When we lost Janet, that's the first place Daniel went to. We found him just sitting there alone and in the dark. Everyone who knows him well enough know that he shouldn't stay in the infirmary any longer than he has to."

Pressing the button to get the elevator started again, Sam turned her back to Mitchell.

"He's not in control of his own mind right now Sam, he needs to be supervised until we can find a way to help him."

When the elevator doors opened, Sam walked out briskly and turned toward Mitchell.

"I think you've done enough helping for one day," she said and walked down the hallway.

All Mitchell could do was look on as the elevator doors shut in front of him.