Hope

Spacegypsy1

~Chapter Four

"You can only come to the morning through the shadows." J.R.R. Tolkien

"We'll see she gets home, Daniel... for a proper burial." Mitchell's voice was raw as he once again laid a hand on my shoulder where I knelt beside Vala's grave. Beside me silent tears ran down Sam's face.

"Snow White does not seem an appropriate name, does it? Perhaps Jasmine would have been a better choice?"

As one, Sam, Mitchell and I turned to Teal'c who's countenance was as serious as a stone.

I heard Mitchell clear his throat. "Well, buddy, I don't think they ever heard of Disney's Snow White much less Aladdin. But I can see your point." He hooked his arm through mine and pulled me to my feet. "Come on, Daddy, we have business with the Widow." Walking a few feet ahead of me Mitchell headed for the cabin. After a moment he turned and gave me the 'aren't you coming?' look.

I took a deep breath. Pulled myself together. Realized the most amazing thing... I have a child and I need to be strong. I lost both my parents. But our child, mine and Vala's, would have me. That was something to think on. I wondered if the child, our child looked like her? Or me? Or both of us? A baby. Wow. Life sucks big time and then delivers up elation right on the tail of despair.

Standing there, head down, I couldn't seem to find the wherewithal to put one foot in front of the other. Hearing something I looked up, and all of a sudden, from a hole in the front door a Jaffa staff weapon appeared, spitting with readiness. Not far from me, both Mitchell and Teal'c spun around raising their weapons.

Before I could get to my side arm, Sam chided us. "Wait. There's a baby in there!" Sam stepped in front of us and raised her voice to be heard. "We're not going to hurt you. We've come to talk to you."

"Go away! Go away or die!" Through the wooden door the old woman's voice was muffled but she was clearly inflexible.

Our guide, Gerlic, stepped forward. "It's me Widder, Gerlic. These be friends of Snow White. They come to find her."

The staff blast, at full force, hit not six inches in front of Gerlic, who yelped and ran backwards a good three feet.

"Whoa!" Mitchell yelled, taking up a position closer to me as he held his hands up. "We're friends of Vala! We've been lookin' for her. We came to.." I nearly broke down again when Mitchell's voice cracked, "... to find her.. we need to..."

"Go!" The disembodied voice called out.

Sam gently pulled a patch from my grip, held it up and spoke, her voice soft. "This belonged to... to Snow White. Her name is Vala. The child is... belongs with the father. Daniel."

"Leave. Go away. No Vala here. Snow White will remain right where she is – for eternity." The woman primed the staff weapon once more. "And the baby stays."

As distraught as I was I noticed Sam cocked her head, curiously. I didn't have time to consider why. The staff blast that followed struck mere inches from my toes.

I jumped, snatching the other patch from Sam and held both up high. "See these? These are hers." Then I pointed first to my own patches and then to the grave. "See that grave? She was... we were... I'm Daniel. I'm the... father," my voice rose hardened with rampant emotion. "I'm the Daniel she was looking for. That baby is mine!"

Either the woman was a good shot and only meant to warn, or I got lucky as a next blast passed close enough to singe the hair on my neck.

The weapon disappeared, the opening snapped shut with a thunk, and all went quiet.

I was shaking with anger, eyes wide and darting wildly. "I'm going in there, that bitch is going to give me the baby!" Not letting anyone stop me I stormed the door, beat on it with a tight fist.

"Open this god damned door or I'll blast it open! You're going to talk to me one way or another. Or one of us will end up in a grave beside hers! Now! Please," I began to beg, anger suddenly gone. "Please."

Slowly the thud of a bolt resounded and the door creaked open. A shrouded figure appeared in the dark doorway, wrapped in wooly full length fur, hood covering her face, her head down. "You're Daniel?"

"Yes." I whispered. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I have to know. I have to know everything that happened to her. I need to see my... my child."

"Why didn't you come?" I could barely hear her, she mumbled so softly.

According to Gerlic, the woman had loved Vala like a daughter. The Widow must have wondered why no one came looking for Snow White. "I'm sorry. So sorry. I couldn't find her. I looked. I swear." I tried to give her a pleasant smile, but my lips trembled instead.

She pushed the hood back. "Daniel, you've come to rescue me at last!"

Gasping, I tripped backwards in shock. I was dumbfounded, unable to speak. I took another step back, baffled. Was I asleep and dreaming? If so, please God don't let me wake up.

"Vala?" I said in a bewildered whisper.

She was more beautiful than I've ever seen her. Dark hair shining. Eyes bright, though a bit wary. Her full breasts, flushed and nearly spilling out from her dress, were visible in the opening of the heavy fur she wore.

"Vala, it's really you." I swung around to look at the others as if I need assurance that she really was standing there. All of them were staring in amazement.

Gerlic's toothless mouth fell open. "Shet, that ain't the Widder! That's Snow White. What happened to the Widder, Snow?"

"The widow didn't wake up one morning. She died in her sleep." I heard Vala explain.

The baby began to cry and I turned towards the doorway.

"I'm, I'm sorry. I... later. Later." Stepping back into the cabin, Vala, a sudden look of panic on her face, shut and bolted the door.

Finally coming to my senses, I rushed forward. "Vala! Vala wait! Vala open the door. Please open the door."

I kept calling to her until I was nearly hoarse, and stood there until my friends tried to drag me away. I resisted, turning furiously towards Mitchell who was blinking back the shine of tears in his eyes. "Jackson... Daniel. Leave it be for now. She's..." his voice grew thick and he cleared his throat. "She's alive, man. Alive. God damn! Vala's alive." He tugged on my arm. "Come on, buddy. Let's... let's back off a bit. Give her some time."

We stopped at the tree line. Gerlic took off at a run down towards town. Once we stopped, Sam came up behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist. Her forehead rested on my back and she cried, sobbing happily, mixed with a healthy dose of wonder.

After a moment, Sam let go and walked back towards the cabin door leaving me standing there, watching her, as if I were frozen in time.

"It's me, Vala. Sam." I heard her call out. "I just want you to know we'll be back tomorrow, early. Maybe we can talk then. We'll camp on the edge of the woods. We'll be close by if you need us."

I rushed towards the cabin, but Teal'c waylaid me. "We can't leave her here!" I croaked out, jerking violently to free myself from Teal'c's strong grip.

Mitchell laid a hand on my shoulder. "Jackson! Chill. Of course we won't leave her."

Sam returned to my side. "Daniel, I knew it was her voice. She's...she's.. just confused. She's been through a lot. Right, Teal'c?"

"What Colonel Carter is trying to say, Daniel Jackson, is that Vala Mal Doran is alive, She appears to be in excellent health, though I suspect she has been through more than 'a lot'. We must give her time to adjust, to us, to seeing you. Surely she is afraid it's all unreal. It must be as disconcerting for her to see us as it is for us to see her. We will wait close by. We will protect her. Come."

I stopped fighting my team and let them pull me away.

Vala is alive. We have a baby. And I'm not sure either of the two of us is sane.

~0i0~

At first we were all in shock.

For the next few hours Mitchell just kept repeating, "Damn. She's really alive," over in over.

Teal'c would intermittently walk a short distance and stare at the cabin quietly, then return, nod, clasp his hands behind his back and report. "All is well."

Sam chatted about everything from the sound of the tree frogs to looking forward to 'girl time', and then she'd squelch a sob with a fake hiccup.

I was speechless. Desperate to jump up and run to the cabin. Out of my mind with thoughts of what if and what's next.

Throughout the rest of the night I stared into the campfire. Teal'c fed logs into the fire until he ran out of wood and wandered off in search of more. Mitchell whittled twig after twig into minute shards that he tossed on the ground.

Sam came to sit beside me, her head on my shoulder, periodically sighing and telling me how happy she was that we had found Vala.

I guess I hadn't thought much about their friendship and how Sam felt. Or Mitchell... Cam, who had always been like a big brother to Vala and who was unable to protect her that day. And Teal'c who cared very deeply for her, who knew her deepest pain in ways none of the rest of us ever could.

Very late into the night, or possibly early in the morning, for no reason at all, I spoke. "A baby." I said in awe. "Weird, eh?"

Sam yawned, head still on my shoulder, and patted my leg. "You'll be a wonderful father."

"Thank you. I wonder if it's a girl, with dark hair like her mother?"

"I never would have guessed this outcome. I missed her so much I had to stop going to Victoria Secret! And as much as I wanted... wanted her to be... okay, I never thought..." A sob escaped from Sam and I put my arm around her, surprised to be the comforter, as tears gathered in my own eyes.

Mitchell stopped whittling, wiped his eyes by running his arm across his face. "Damned smoky fire. Well, I suppose we'll have to set up a nursery at the SGC."

Sitting straighter I all but knocked Sam over as I shot Mitchell a horrified look. "We will not!"

"Aw, come on, Ja... Daniel" Mitchell continued, "It's the safest place to be. You don't want Junior or Juniorette at the local Baby Ranglin' Day Care while you work!"

"Cam, you know I won't be working, not off world, and not at the SGC. I'll be being a daddy and if I'm lucky a husband."

"Maybe you both can consult? Bring the kid in the office?"

Standing, Sam grinned. "Perfect solution. Otherwise, Daniel, you'd be bored and you'd drive Mama Vala crazy. Good night... or actually good morning. I'm going to take a little nap before the sun gets too high."

I turned to see just a hint of pink on the horizon. "Good night." I said as Mitchell mumbled the same.

Stopping halfway across the campsite, Sam turned. "Daniel you should sleep. This is probably the last time you will get a good nights sleep. Well, the night's over but at least you can catch a nap."

"Huh? What?" I looked over to Sam who stood by her sleeping bag grinning, and I was thinking I haven't had a good night's sleep since Vala disappeared.

"A baby, Daniel. When there's a baby in the house no one sleeps." She crawled into her sleeping bag.

I laughed. It felt so good. I hadn't laughed in a long time.

~0i0~

Warm sun woke me a few hours later. We'd all fallen asleep at some point. Me, I just curled up on the grass beside the fire. Mitchell made it to his sleeping bag near Sam's and Teal'c... wait, "Teal'c?"

"I am here Daniel Jackson. Vala Mal Doran has invited us to breakfast."

I shot straight up from a reclined position to standing in one movement. "Wha... er … Vala? Oh right, did you talk to her?"

"It would be difficult for me to know of her invitation had I not talked to her."

"Where?"

"I did not ask. I assumed breakfast would be at the cabin."

"No. Where did you talk to her?"

"In her yard as she gathered eggs and fed her Slake."

"Slake? She calls the baby Slake?"

"Chicken like creatures."

"Oh. How is she?"

"She is well."

"And...and the … the baby?"

"I did not see the child, as it was asleep when I arrived."

"Oh. So you don't know what kind of baby it is?" I looked off towards the house.

"It is a human baby. I shall wake the others."

"Right. Er. She's okay?"

"She is very much okay."

I started walking towards the cabin talking to no one in particular. "Of course it's a human baby! I meant is it a boy or a girl baby."

As I drew closer I spotted Vala. She had the baby in her arms and she was dancing around in the yard, cooing and singing to the child. I stopped, watching. Mind-boggling emotions temporarily paralyzed me. My gaze adored the swirl of her dress as she swayed, my ears delighted in her soft cooing voice. I stared enthralled by raven hair that shone in the sunlight as she moved, both hers and what peeked out of the baby's blanket.

There was an overwhelming urge to run and take her in my arms that was difficult to ignore, but I knew she was skittish. I had to take it slow. Torturous to say the very least. I moved closer and closer very slowly.

She looked up and saw me and she smiled. "I'm sorry about yesterday."

My heart had jumped up into my throat when she smiled, so I had to take a second to respond. "Oh, no, no it's fine."

"I... I panicked."

"It's fine, Vala. Really. My God, it's so, so good to see you. You look wonderful."

My gaze shifted from her flushed face to the bundle she cradled in her arms. I hoped she realized I was staring at the baby and not her full breasts.

"Daniel, would you like to hold him?"

"Him. Ah. Er. Yes." When she handed him over he was incredibly light, soft, warm. I was a little nervous but I think I managed it pretty well. "What's his name?" I asked, peeking deeper into the blanket she had him bundled up in. I had spied some tiny fingers and I wanted a closer look.

"Baby Danny. I mean I call him, Baby Danny. Daniel? What's wrong?" She almost took him from me, her voice ladened with concern when I let out an astonished sigh.

"Nothing, he's... he's so incredibly cute. He's beautiful and perfect. Like his mother." I looked up and smiled.

"Oh." She breathed a sign of relief smiling again. "Well, actually his name is just Daniel. Not junior. I couldn't bare the thought... when I had a thought, that Jack would never let that go."

It took a second or so to process that this tiny child was my son and the fact that her lighthearted comment indicated that she felt more at ease today. I couldn't stop the grin that spread on my face when I looked at her.

Vala had her bottom lip between her teeth and she was twisting to and fro. I have never wanted a woman more than I did at that instant. I wanted her in my arms, my mouth on hers, my hands exploring. I wanted to hurry home, let her sit on my lap as I tried to work. Let her twirl on a stool and chatter all day long. I wanted to hear her coo to the baby. I wanted her in every way for ever and ever.

"I have pancakes." Vala looked behind me and I knew the others had arrived. Her gaze came back to me, "And coffee. I have coffee. It grows quite abundantly here. Altought I have to roast and grind it myself. I had considered opening a coffee shop. I am quite good at it." She laughed and for a second I thought I'd pass out by the lack of air as I held my breath.

Vala stood at the door a moment and I noticed Sam quickly, gently, squeeze Vala's hand as she passed her. Mitchell mumbled, "Princess," in a choked up tone. Teal'c bowed deeply. And I swallowed hard, and followed her into the small house and on to the open kitchen area.

Sam took the baby from me. Mitchell took over the making of the pancakes and Teal'c watched him like a sentinel ready to take over if necessary.

Sitting at the table across from me, Vala spoke softly, "A few months after I was left here you should have seen me. I was very thin with this big baby bump. I looked like a spinely twig someone had stuck a ball in its middle!" She grew quiet a moment, then rushed on. "I was so afraid. Confused. Disoriented. I kept having high fevers and bouts where I was delusional. I remember Gerlic and Larcon taking me to Merla's, here. They call her the Widder, as in Widow. Merla is...was a wonderful healer. Just look at baby Danny, he's so chubby and healthy. And me too!"

Our hands were mere inches apart in the middle of the table, mine itching to touch, and hers, I think, were too, but we both seemed unsure.

"I did keep having some episodes of delusions occassionaly," Vala continued, here eyes locked with mine. "But they eventually passed leaving just a few moments now and then of panic. Like yesterday. For months I worried that Rah'lee would come back for me. Not too many details remain from my time on her ship. I know she has a thing for Ba'al and wanted to hand me over as a great prize. She wasn't the first bounty hunter to come after me, according to her. Then, I think she botched the job by all but killing me. So she fled with me in tow. Mostly to make sure Ba'al didn't find me... dead.

"I felt safe up here, though. Merla took me to town now and then trying to find out who I was. I knew, of course, at least most of the time, but I didn't tell Merla for a long time. I knew I wanted to go home. I remembered faces but not all the names. I was certain I did not come from this planet. It was totally unfamiliar. And I worried that Rah'lee would come back to make sure I was dead, and if she found me alive she would take me away. And I hoped, every day, every night, I hoped that you lived, Daniel, and you would find me if I could hide out long enough.

"Once I realized I was pregnant and Merla nursed me back to good health, I actually started remembering everything. Some not so pleasant, I might add. Merla said I had a brain fever and I said, 'so what's new?' she didn't see the humor in that one. But pretty soon I put all the pieces together." Vala took my hand. "I knew you would come."

I couldn't speak. Her touch burned clear to my heart. I could only squeeze her hand and nod for fear I would do something stupid. Like kiss her madly. Frighten her with how desperately I need her. I settled for caressing her soft skin with my thumb.

"When Merla died in her sleep I was so frightened, I felt vulnerable, and I didn't like that feeling. It was like I wasn't me. I had Danny to take care of so I decided if I could fool the town's people into thinking I... that Vala died, if Rah'lee came back we would be safe.

"I already had a bit of anonymity with being named Snow White. What a ridiculously funny name for me! I'm so much more a Jasmine!" She looked away as if seeking confirmation. She scanned the room, I turned seeing that Teal'c smiled and nodded. Sam and Mitchell watched wide-eyed and were listening intently.

"I want to thank you all for not giving up on me. And for camping out over there and watching over me. It's been a long time since I felt completely safe."

The others mumbled replies. Sam settled Danny into his bassinet. Mitchell served up the pancakes and Teal'c poured more coffee. We all sat there quietly. Suddenly I stood. I had to get out for a moment before I lost it, all I wanted was to hold her in my arms. "I'll... I'll be right back guys." I blurted out as I dashed towards the door.

I heard someone come out behind me and I knew it was Vala.

"I don't know how to process all this." I told her honestly. "I can't seem to get a hold of my... feelings. I... I thought I might never find you. And when I get the best damned lead they said you were dead. And we have a son. And I never told you that I love you."

"Don't be silly, Daniel, of course you did."

"I did?"

She touched my face. "Maybe not with words, darling, but we didn't need words that night."

"I love you. God, how I have missed you." I couldn't hold back another second and I reached for her.

She all but knocked me over when she threw her arms around my neck and buried her face in my chest. "I know, and I love you."

I lifted her face up with a gentle finger and stared down into those lovely grey eyes.

"Daniel," She whispered in her very alive and very sexy Vala way, "are you going to kiss me or not?"

~END