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Part 8, "My Children"

-Twelve Years Old-

Malika sat by Iasis' pool, her feet in the water. She frowned as Delek approached. All her life, he tended to ignore her. Now, he was giving her a look, a silent order to leave so that he may talk to Iasis. She quietly left, annoyed that he had so rudely interpreted their conversation.

She knew he wanted her out of the room, that he outranked her parents...that he was important. Still...instead of leaving, she went a certain distance and hid.

She could hear the water moving a bit as Iasis swam. Delek seemed to wait a few minutes before speaking.

"Iasis."

"My sister," Iasis replied to convey her annoyance that her sister had been chased off.

"In a year, you will be old enough to blend. It's time-"

Iasis suddenly moved downward, essentially ending the conversation.

"Iasis," Delek called, knowing she could hear him. "Iasis, come here. Iasis... Iasis, you can't-"

"What are you doing?"

Delek glanced back, finding Sam had entered the room. "We're talking."

"It isn't up to you to talk to my daughter about when it's time to take her first host," Sam replied, having clearly heard more than Delek realized. "She'll blend, when she's ready to blend." Sam tried not to admit that talking to Delek, a superior officer, like this made her nervous.

He's less observant than other Tok'ra when it comes to emotions, Kela'an assured. He has probably not noticed.

Delek didn't reply, and as he walked off, Sam knew he'd be complaining to the others about this.

Malika quietly left. Even though her mothers were less than fond of Delek, she'd still get a lecture if they knew she had eavesdropped.

Iasis came back to the surface of the pool. "Too young."

Her squeal took Sam's attention. "What? Oh. Yes. You're not old enough."

"I play," Iasis replied, though it was really just an excuse to leave. She followed one of the streams created for her, having an idea of where Malika had gone. She soon found her in another room.

Malika sat against a wall, hugging her legs.

"Found you," Iasis squealed as a way of announcing her arrival. From where she was, she could see her sister trying to discreetly wipe tears.

"Hi," Malika replied.

"Tell me why you cry."

Malika groaned slightly, annoyed that she had been caught. "You are growing up too fast. We won't be able to play anymore."

"We still play," Iasis assured. "I give real hugs."

"I like the hugs you give now."

"My blending is a whole year away."

Malika wiped more tears before smiling. She watched Iasis staring, knowing her sister was waiting for her to tell her what really bothered you. "I don't want someone else to be your host." She quickly moved closer, kneeling next to the stream. "If I could blend in a year, it could be me."

"Too young."

"I am not!" She closed her eyes, sighing softly. Throwing a temper tantrum wouldn't help her cause. "I am not too young. I can't..." Despite her best effort, tears kept flowing. "I want us to be one. I want us to have the same children."

"My children," Iasis replied in defense.

"We'll share."

"It is tradition for the children to belong to the queen."

"Since when the parcta did you care about tradition?!"

"Watch your language!"

"We're sharing!"

Martouf entered the room. "What are you two fighting about?"

Malika jumped slightly. "Eh." She turned to him, not really wanting to share this fight. Not wanting to talk, she ran off instead.

Martouf watched her run before turning to Iasis, quickly seeing she was upset. "I used to fight with my older brother all the time. We never seemed to agree on anything, but we always made up." He frowned slightly as Iasis swam away. "I'll go talk to her."

Elsewhere, Malek was in his quarters.

"Delek is in a foul mood," Aldwin said as he entered.

"That's why I'm hiding here."

Aldwin smiled. "What did you do?"

Malek frowned. "I'm innocent."

Aldwin moved his fingers through Malek's hair. "Aw, then I don't have to worry about him rushing in here."

Malek found himself being pushed back until he was being kissed. His hands began exploring the form he knew all so well, stopping when he sensed someone was coming down their hallway. He sighed softly in frustration as his eyes closed.

Why is Delek in our doorway, a frustrated Amb asked as Malek turned to see who interpreted them.

He finds work to do when he's angry.

"Some of the schedules have been switched around," Delek announced. He left without another word.

"I'll check," Aldwin offered to a frowning Malek, "so long as you promise to stay here." He left, finding the schedule in the communications room.

"None of your shifts have been changed."

Aldwin jumped slightly before looking to Sam. "I didn't see you."

"We're usually here at this time, checking for any signals that might be from other Tok'ra."

"Every day? You really think you are going to find something after twelve years?" Aldwin was turned away, now checking for Malek's schedule.

"They are out there."

"Deep in hiding, just as we are." Aldwin noticed one of Malek's shifts was changed. "Hmm." He glanced back to Sam, seeing she was busy. "Goodbye."

Sam gave half a wave before continuing with her work. So distracted, she didn't notice when Malika came in.

"Mom?"

Sam turned to her. "Yes?" She stood up when she saw she had been crying. "What's wrong?"

"Iasis."

"You two have another fight."

"It's all her fault!" she defended.

"What was the fight about?"

Malika looked down. "Nothing." She sighed softly becoming a bit alarmed when her dad came in. "It was all her fault."

"She didn't tell me anything," Martouf replied.

"Oh."

"You're sisters. You'll forget about the fight soon enough."

Malika bit her lip.

Sam decided to change the topic. "Anise and Freya are due back. Why don't we greet them?"

"All right," Malika ran off ahead.

"I'll stay here," Martouf offered, gesturing to Sam's work station.

"Thank you." Sam followed, soon finding her where the rings were. It wasn't long before they were activated.

"We brought her back," Jack announced. "Safe and sound."

"Just one of us?" Freya replied.

Daniel grinned. Though she spoke in a serious tone, he knew she was teasing.

"We brought them back," Jack fixed.

"You were gone a long time." Malika hugged Freya. Ever since Freya and Anise had married, they spent more time on Earth, which allowed them to spend more time with Daniel. Malika still wasn't used to them being gone so much.

"It was only a month," Freya replied. "I've gotten to meet some of the neighbors."

"You probably know them better than I ever did," Sam replied.

"They were surprised to know that I know you."

"I'm surprised they remember me at all." Sam smiled. "I wasn't home much."

"Some of them remember you." She grinned before taking Daniel's hand. "Let's see that book I wanted to show you." She pulled him away from the group.

"You staying?" Sam asked Jack, knowing Daniel was going to be there a few days.

"Sure, I can stay for a bit."

Sam gestured for him to follow as she headed off "How is Teal'c?"

"Doing some father/son Jaffa thing... He's lucky when he gets the time. Rya'c has been so busy lately." He glanced around. "Where are we headed?" He had been following her. Malika had left, though he didn't know where off to.

"I wanted to stop by Iasis' pool."

"Hm. I haven't been there in a while." As they entered the room, he expected the sound of a squeaky greeting. He was a bit confused when none came. He looked into the pool, finding it empty.

"She must be in the other room."

"Oh. Well-woah." He approached one of the walls in her room, which was completely covered with photographs. "This is new." Most of the pictures were Iasis and Malika, and he recognized people from Sam's family, but there were also many people he didn't recognize.

"Per'sus and Garshaw released a lot of pictures that the council had in their records...since we're in hiding anyway."

"So you had picture fun?"

"Lantash and Martouf did." Sam smiled as she glanced to the pictures near the floor. "I would have...restrained a little."

"Who are they?" Jack asked as he saw a group of people, each set one after another in identical frames.

"Lantash's hosts."

"No Martouf?"

Martouf isn't exactly missing from the wall, Kela'an thought, able to see multiple pictures of him from where Sam was standing. He was never alone in his photographs, smiling with at least one member of his family.

"They made those particular groupings to remember hosts who have passed."

"They?" Jack soon saw the set that belonged to Kela'an, recognizing the last picture.

Sam moved closer so Kela'an could get a better look.

Jack looked over all the Malikas. He was surprised when one changed, an he realized a few of the frames were electronic. He was about to ask who made the frames when he noticed Kela'an was in control now.

He looks so handsome, Kela'an thought, touching Drack's picture.

He looks happy too.

Yes. This was how she wanted to remember him. Happy. His life ahead of him. This was what she wanted, not the image seared into her mind, burned and forever still. Kela'an wished each host had lived all her years while allowing her to blend with the same hosts. She didn't care how impossible the wish was.

You wouldn't be the first to wish for the impossible.

Kela'an smiled before wiping a few tears. She soon noticed Jack looking uncomfortable. I should give you control back.

I don't think that will help, Sam thought as she felt herself being given control.

She was right. Jack still looked uncomfortable. He felt like he had intruded on something personal. Symbiotes weren't supposed to cry. He had seen Tok'ra be arrogant, happy, and angry. He had seen the symbiote half of various Tok'ra in mourning, but it didn't seem to last very long. Moments of sadness seemed fleeting. He wasn't expecting to see a symbiote cry over a host who died over a decade ago.

"Did you want to eat?" Sam asked.

"Uh, maybe I should go."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah."

Jack arrived back on Earth, and he stayed in his office, catching up on paperwork. A few days later, when the stargate activated again, he knew the reason and quickly found Daniel in his office.

"Hey." Daniel barely looked up from his work.

"You have a nice time?"

"Yeah."

"Daniel..."

Now the other man looked up, waiting for Jack to finish.

"Does Anise...does she ever talk about..."

Daniel raised his eyebrows, curious to where this was going. "About...?"

"Does she still miss her previous host?"

"She misses all of them."

"I never get that."

"Did something happen?" This seemed rather out of the blue.

"Kela'an... She was looking at Drack's picture..."

"Well, Kela'an keeps that from me too." Daniel walked closer. "The relationship shared between each host is considered personal, and it's mostly only shared with the hosts after. Sometimes with mates. You can see it though...whenever they talk about a previous host."

"I guess I have to look."

Daniel smiled a bit. "It took me a while to notice it too. You'll see it."

to be continued...