New Chapter; And I Want To Go Home
And I Want To Go Home
By Assilem
For: The Songs Trilogy
From the song: Home by Michael Buble
And I Want To Go Home
Vala walked into the livingroom and leaned against the doorframe as she looked at the sight on the couch. There lay Daniel, Anastazia lying on her belly against his chest, her little fists holding onto his shirt, as Daniel’s arm held her in place. The other arm curled around Eva as he held the little girl to his side.
They had brought Anastazia home only a few weeks ago, as the first snowfall of the year attached itself to the ground. Eva, usually loving the snow opted to spend her time inside, protesting that her little sister wasn’t allowed to play in the snow.
Smiling and not wanting to disturb the sleeping three, she placed the phone back to her ear. "Daniel is sleeping at the moment, may I take a message?"
"Could you please get him to call Casey Mattier?" the woman on the phone replied.
"Of course. Does he have your number?"
"He should."
"All right, goodbye," clicking the phone off she walked over to her sleeping family and bent down, placing a kiss on everyone’s head, she watched as Daniel’s eyes opened. "Hi."
"Hey," Daniel whispered.
"Having a good cuddle there Daniel?" Vala teased moving so that she sat besides his legs.
"Could have been better," he replied softly. "I heard the phone ring, who was it?"
"Casey Mattier," Vala replied. "Who’s that?"
"My foster sister," Daniel replied softly.
"She seemed confused when I answered the phone…You never had your sister come to our wedding."
"I didn’t let my foster family know," Daniel replied as he gently rubbed the baby’s back. From Vala’s hurt expression he continued. "It wasn’t like I didn’t want them there or want them to meet you, I just never got around to it."
"Its okay Daniel," Vala smiled as Anastazia started to stir. Reaching over she picked up the little girl from Daniel’s chest and smiled at her. "Hi Darling."
Skillfully, Daniel sat up, allowing Vala to move back into the couch and he moved Eva to his side, rubbing her back as to not wake her. Vala leaning back undid the button of her shirt as Ana found her way straight to the nipple and started to suck hungrily.
"She’s a hungry little girl," Daniel chuckled as he watched his youngest daughter.
"Much like her father," Vala winked as she gently rubbed Ana’s little arm as she ate.
"Hey," Daniel said in his defense as Eva’s eyes started to open. "Good afternoon Princess."
"Hmhmmn," Eva mumbled as she moved onto Daniel’s lap and cuddled into his chest.
Daniel smiled and leaned back. "So you going to call her back?" Vala asked glancing at the phone and then at Daniel.
"Sure," he laughed picking the phone up and dialing the number that he knew so well. Waiting for someone to pick up he smiled down at Eva.
"Hello?"
"Hi Case, its Daniel," smiling he turned to Vala.
"Hey you! I called, but this woman said you were sleeping."
"Yeah, I fell asleep with my girls," he told.
"Girls? Daniel, what girls?" Casey asked with a bit of confusion.
"My daughters, they were napping with me," Daniel explained as he smiled at the silence on the other end. "Case?"
"You have daughters? Since when?" she asked.
"Well, Eva was born four years ago," Daniel smiled. "And Anastazia is three months."
"Oh wow…." Casey said. "So you’re?"
"Married? Yup. Vala and I’ve been married for five years this September."
"And you didn’t let us know? I know we haven’t kept in touch for a while but…"
"I just got caught up in life," Daniel explained as he watched Eva climb off of him and over to the television. "With the wedding, and then shortly after that, Eva came along, then raising her, and then Anastazia came, and she had a hole in her heart, so that took over our lives and life just took over."
"Wow," Casey smiled. "I never realised that you’d get like married. You went to university when I was like, four?"
"Bout that yup," Daniel chuckled. "But I am married. She’s a wonderful woman, and I love her so incredibly much. We have our two daughters too, they’re our life."
"Sounds like you’re happy," Casey smiled. "I was actually like calling to tell you that I’m getting married."
"What? You’re a baby? You can’t get married," Daniel protested.
"Daniel, I’m twenty-eight," Casey laughed.
"When did that happen?" Vala smiled at her husband, as Ana finished eating and she gently pulled the somewhat sleepy baby off of her nipple. Standing up she adjusted Ana so that she was on her shoulder and she looked at Eva.
"Come Eva," Vala said softly as Eva looked up and shook her head. "What do you mean no?"
"TV," Eva pouted as she started to tear.
"You can watch it upstairs in Mommy and Daddy’s room," she said as Eva nodded her head softly and stood up.
~~
By the end of the week, the Jacksons were sitting in the livingroom of Daniel’s Foster parents. Apparently, Daniel had come from a rather large family, consisting of five children, and a few other foster children, and one or two with children of their own. The oldest being Jeremy, followed by the first set of twins Michel, and Joshua, then Daniel, then the other set of twins, Alexander and Owen, then followed Stephania, Cara and Casey who were taken in when they were still very young. Daniel loved that Beth and Gary had such large hearts to take in four children who had no where else to go. It was a large hectic house, but he wouldn’t trade it for anything, Jeremy was only five years older than Daniel was, and Michel and Josh were three when Beth and Gary took him in. Then a year or so later Alex and Owen came into the world, just before they quickly took in Stephania who was from the Maritimes of Canada when she was involved in a custody battle with her parents. When Cara and Casey were only toddlers, the Mattier’s took them in when they were found to be homeless and abandoned, when only Daniel, Stephania, Alex and Owen were left living with them.
"So Geek," Cara started as baby Anastazia was being passed around. "Why didn’t you decide to mention to us that you got yourself hitched?"
"I don’t know," Daniel chuckled as he bounced Eva on his knee. "Why didn’t you all tell me that you got hitched?"
"Same reason," the all replied.
"She’s gorgeous Daniel," Stephania smiled taking a hold of her niece. "Vala both the girls look a lot like you."
"It’s a good thing," Vala smirked.
"Hey," Daniel said swatting his wife. "So, why haven’t you guys gotten around to having kids," he asked, the younger ones, as Jeremy’s children were in their teenage years.
"Andrea and I aren’t having children," Michel replied. "I don’t even like my younger siblings."
"That’s not cool," Cara teased tossing a pillow at her brother. The rest of them chuckled and as his wife slapped Michel across the leg.
"So why Anastazia?" Isabel, Michel’s wife, asked as the little girl was handed to her.
"We named her after Vala’s father, and my birth mother," Daniel replied with a smile.
"How sweet," the girls smiled.
"Speaking of Mom, where is she?" Daniel asked not seeing Beth or Gary anywhere. Christmas in the cabin by the Great lakes was a tradition, and it wasn’t until Vala came into his life that Daniel missed one.
"Her and Daddy are coming in later today," Casey said from the spot where she was poking the fire.
"Just like old times," Jeremy smiled. "The family together finally for Christmas, they’ll be ecstatic."
"Do they know?" Daniel asked as leaned back, hugging Eva to him.
"Nope, it’s a surprise!" Stephania grinned.
"Good thing that Owen is a Doctor," Daniel teased as the door opened and in walked Jeremy’s two teenage daughters, Adelie and Zoey, and his wife Gabrielle.
"Come on kids," she called as Josh’s son, Jayden, Alex’s son, Nathaniel, and Owen’s daughter, Jaime, ran into the house. Jayden being the oldest of thirteen, followed by Nathaniel ten, and Jaime nine.
Stephania couldn’t have children, and she was fine with that. Cara’s husband already had children from his first marriage. Casey already decided that she didn’t want children as she was in her residency of medical school, and she didn’t want to be one of those mothers who worked to much and never had time for her children.
To what it looked like, Eva and Anastazia would be the babies of the family, and he was okay with that. Everyone was, they all missed the innocence that was still in the two Jackson girls.
"Hey Daniel," Gabrielle smiled leaning over and kissing his cheek. "When did you get in?"
"Bout an hour ago," Daniel smiled. "Gab, this is my wife Vala, our oldest daughter Eva and our baby girl Anastazia."
Gabrielle smiled and held out her hand to Vala as she shook it. "Pleasure."
"Same," Vala smiled softly, a tad bit shy around Daniel’s family. Eva, the incredibly attention hog, was extremely shy around the large family. Jeremy and his wife Gabrielle, their daughters Adelie and Zoey; Michel and Isabel; Joshua his wife Peri, their son Jayden; Owen and his wife Lisa their daughter Jaime; Alexander and his wife Sara, and their son, Nathaniel; then Stephania and Joe; then Cara and Harry; and then of course Casey and her fiancée Marc. Which came to a total of twenty-one people, plus the two more people coming later on. There were a lot of people to say at least, a lot more than Eva was used to, and an incredible amount of people than what Ana was used to, only ever being around a maximum six people at a time.
Vala smiled at the large family as they she was handed Ana back as the little girl started to cry. "Excuse me, she’s hungry."
"Here, I’ll come with," Daniel said standing up. "Eva, you wanna stay here?"
"Kay," Eva said sitting where her father just vacated. Daniel smiled and kissed her head as he, Vala and Eva walked out of the room. Eva looked around and smiled softly holding onto the pillow that Daniel had left her.
"Eva, do you go to preschool yet?" Sara asked looking at the four-year-old who nodded and started to regail them with tales from preschool in Colorado.
Leading Vala upstairs to their bedroom, he watched her sit down on the bed and pull her shirt up for Ana. Sitting beside his wife, Daniel leaned over and kissed her temple.
"Having fun so far?" Daniel asked softly.
"A little over whelming," Vala responded. "Anastazia seems a little scared."
"I know, she’ll get used to them," Daniel whispered. "You all will, I promise."
"Daniel, that’s easier said than done. Anastazia’s first Christmas and we’re in some obscure town of earth."
"Listen baby, I just want you all to love each other how I love everyone," Daniel replied as Vala nodded. "Besides, its good for them to know that they have a lot of family."
"It is," Vala smiled as Ana started to whimper. "Sssh, hush baby." Moments later Ana quieted down and closed her eyes.
"You know what Vala," Daniel said running his hand over Ana’s arm.
"Hmm?"
"I love you," he whispered. "Christmas with you and the girls anywhere, will always be the best time I could have anywhere."
"I’m glad," Vala smiled as the door opened and the two looked up to where Adelie stood with Eva in her arms.
"Grandma and Grandpa just pulled it, Dad told me to tell you guys to stay up here and come down in like fifteen minutes after we move into the kitchen," Adelie smiled before closing the door and running back down the stairs.
"Well now," Vala smiled standing up and walking Ana around the room.
"Come here," Daniel said picking up Eva, who was still dressed in her clothes from the flight. Walking over to her suitcase, he pulled out a pair of white tights and a white sweater, before setting her on the bed. "Lets change you."
"Red one?" Eva asked as Daniel smiled and pulled out the red plaid skirt. Quickly changing Eva and ruffling her black hair he kissed her forehead as laughing was heard downstairs.
"Shall we go?" he asked straightening his tie and looking at Vala who nodded. Holding out a hand for Eva and Vala. Winking he lead his wife and daughters downstairs and into the hall beside the kitchen.
"Jeremy hush your mouth," Beth replied as Daniel grinned and pulled them through the door knocking on the side.
"We’re not late are we?" he asked as Beth swung around and stared.
"Daniel!" Rushing over she pulled Daniel in a hug and kissed his head. "Oh my baby boy."
"Hi Mom," he smiled. "Dad," he added shaking Gary’s hand.
"Who’s this?" Beth asked pushing Daniel aside to where Vala was holding Ana in her arms and Eva by the hand.
"Mom, Dad," Daniel started walking back to his wife and children. "This is my wife, Vala, and our two daughters, Eva, and Anastazia."
"Wife? Children?" Beth stuttered. "Daniel!" Looking at her youngest son, she hit him upside the head before turning to the three girls. "Oh look at you all, so pretty."
"Thank you," Vala smiled as Beth reached over for Ana.
"How old are you?" She asked the baby who just gurgled.
"She’s three months," Daniel replied. "And Eva here is four."
"Three months and four! Daniel Jackson why didn’t you let me know about these angels?" Beth asked as she walked around carrying Ana in her arms.
"Long story," Daniel chuckled.
"Daniel let your mother be," Gary said before bending down to Eva. "You’re a cute little girl."
"Tanks," Eva said shyly.
"Jeremy, go get your mother and I’s luggage and take it up to the room, then I want all the boys in the backyard in ten minutes."
"Yes Dad," Jeremy chuckled before he walked out of the kitchen.
Ten minutes later, only the girls were left in the kitchen, Ana still in Beth’s arms, and Vala sitting at the kitchen table with Eva on her lap.
"So Vala, that’s an unusual name," Beth pointed out.
"Yes," Vala smiled. "I’m not from here, I’m from Australia." Years ago the Air Force decided that Vala was from Australia, given her rich accent and complexion.
"Sara, would you go to the pantry and get the flour."
"Sure," Sara smiled handing Adelie the spoon she had.
"Can we help?" Vala asked, feeling a bit useless as everyone else was busy making dinner.
"Nono, you’re still recovering from the baby, you just rest," Beth replied as she placed a baking sheet on the table.
"Eva darling, help Grandma with the cookies," Beth smiled.
"Kay," Eva said softly looking at her mother. Vala smiled and her and took Ana who was handed back.
The rest of the afternoon was filled with the making of Christmas treats and decorating cookies. Eva ended up with icing on her sweater but a huge grin on her little face, Vala couldn’t be mad.
By four o’clock the boys had returned with a rather large Christmas tree, and the family insisted on decorating it. Ana in bed just before dinner left Vala still feeling a bit out of place.
Daniel watched his wife all through dinner and noticed her being reserved. Helping Beth bring in the left overs her looked at her. "Mom, do you mind watching Eva and Ana for me?"
"Of course," Beth smiled. "Vala doesn’t seem to comfortable."
"She isn’t," Daniel said looking out the kitchen window. "She’s more distant than usual."
"She still recovering from the little one?"
"No, Ana was born six months ago," Daniel replied softly as Beth looked him strangely. "She was born with a whole in her heart, we didn’t know she’d survive, so we say she’s three months, because that’s her development."
"Oh that poor dear!" Beth explained. "Go tell your brothers to get in here, take your wife outside."
"Thanks," Daniel said kissing her cheek and walking out of the kitchen.
~~
"Daniel, this is beautiful," Vala whispered as she rubbed her arms.
"It’s where I used to come and think," Daniel replied as he wrapped his arms around her body and rubbed her arms up and down. "I wanted you to be the first one I ever brought here." Vala smiled and leaned back into Daniel’s embrace. "I know you’re a little, well, uncomfortable still, but I promise you, it’ll get better."
Silence between the couple lasted a few minutes, as they enjoyed their time alone on top of the roof of the house. Daniel’s arms securely around his wife, as she leaned into his body. His hands running slowly up and down her arms, keeping her warm. His chin rested on the top of her black hair, which was tied in a low ponytail.
"Merry Christmas Vala."
"Merry Christmas Daniel," Vala smiled as she leaned back and kissed him softly.
"Come on, let’s go inside before we freeze," Daniel said pulling Vala up and holding her tightly as they walked back to the attic window. Climbing through first, Daniel held his arms out for his wife and grabbed her before kissing her nose and brushing her hair off from the snow.
"I think we should take the girls out on a sleigh ride," Vala grinned.
"Tomorrow, we all go," Daniel chuckled as they made their way downstairs, and into the livingroom, where Beth say drinking tea and knitting, Gary sitting reading the paper, Eva laying on the floor colouring and Anastazia laying on her blanket sucking on teddy bear’s ear. "Bedtime Ev’."
"Tay," Eva said closing her book and putting her crayons away. Giving the two back to Gary she walked over to Daniel and held her arms up. Daniel grinned and picked Eva up as she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Night."
"Goodnight love," Beth smiled as Vala leaned over and picked Anastazia up with her blanket.
After getting both girls in bed and sleeping Vala and Daniel walked downstairs and sat on the couch opposite of Beth.
"How long have you two been together?" Beth asked looking up at Daniel and Vala.
Daniel smiled and looked at Vala before he turned back. "Seven years, we’ve been married for five. I ah, met Vala at work one day, and thought I’d never see her again, after that few days. Then she came back and we were together for about four months, and she was sent somewhere else for eight months, and then came back, and I haven’t let her go since."
"We got married a year after I came back," Vala smiled as Daniel rubbed her shoulder with his thumb lightly.
"We didn’t invite a lot of people, just some people from work, though Vala’s dress cost more than the wedding," Daniel teased. "Then a couple months after we got married, Vala got pregnant with Eva."
"Oh the first baby is always the greatest feeling in the world," Beth smiled. Vala looked at Daniel before lowering her eyes.
"Vala was pregnant before we had Eva, she was with another man, and lost the baby," Daniel explained. They had decided on telling everyone that her pregnancy with Adria didn’t last, it was true, she lost Adria, but they were expanding the truth.
"Oh dear, that’s horrible," Beth said softly.
Vala smiled softly and Daniel squeezed her body. "And then when Anastazia was born, we almost lost her."
Gary set down his paper and looked at his son. "What happened Daniel?"
"She had a hole in her heart, a slight heart murmur. Vala went into premature labor, and it stopped, but the Doctors pulled her to repair the hole. Took three surgeries but they think she’ll be just fine."
"She will be," Vala smiled.
~~
"Daddy!" Eva called as she sat on a horse, as Gary walked the horse.
"Look at you," Daniel smiled as he looked up from the patio where he sat, watching Vala and Anastazia play in the snow.
"Papa ride horsie wif me!" Eva grinned clapping her mitten-clad hands together. Laughing Daniel stood up and walked over to the horse holding out his arms for Eva.
"No, ride horsie," Eva said frowning her brows.
Chuckling Daniel nodded and pulled her toque down further on her forehead. "Daniel, I’m going to put Anastazia down for a nap," Vala called standing up, Anastazia in her arms and looking barely awake.
Waving to Anastazia Daniel turned to Gary. "Hey, do we still have the other Arabian, Korea’s calf?"
"Castiana? Yeah, she’s in the barn," Gary replied.
"I’m gonna take them out to the lake, do you think the girls would mind listening for Anastazia?"
"They’ll gladly," Gary chuckled. "Stay with her, I’ll go saddle up Korea."
"Thanks," Daniel smiled taking the reigns from him and waking Eva around. "Did Papa tell you the horse’s name?"
"Clarabel," Eva smiled. The Mattier’s had four horses, Castiana being the oldest and calmest of the four, then Clarabel who was around seven or so years. The last time Daniel had come to the cabin he was forced to assist in the birth of Clarabel, the last time he came in the spring to see the family.
"That’s right," Daniel chuckled. "You want to ride the horse with me and Mommy?"
"Yeah!" Eva smiled brighty. "Ana too?"
"No, Ana is too young, when she’s older okay Princess." Eva nodded as Vala walked back outside and smiled at the sight as Gary walked over with Castiana.
"Okay, here you go Daniel," Gary smiled giving him the other set of reigns. "You remember how to ride."
"Yup, we’ll be fine," Daniel smiled waving Vala over. "Come on love, we’re gonna go for a ride."
"Daniel, I don’t know how to ride," Vala replied shaking her head no.
"Its easy," he smiled taking Clarabel’s reigns and tying them to a tree. "Okay put your foot here," he said helping her foot into the stirup before he hoisted her up onto the horse. "See not scary right?"
"Says you," Vala said holding onto the saddle. "Just relax, the horse will do all the work, she’s really good."
"Okay," Vala replied relaxing her body as Daniel gave her the reigns and he took the two steps over to Eva and swung himself onto the horse, making to secure Eva to him. "Now what?"
"We start to walk," he said urging Clarabel to walk, and turning to Vala. "Come on." Laughing when Vala shook her head, he turned the horse around and took the reigns from her, flipping them over Castiana’s head and pulling her slightly as she started to walk at the same pace as Clarabel.
The afternoon spent walking through the snow was peaceful, quiet and almost perfect. Eva chatted until she decided she was sleepy and her body leaned heavily against Daniel’s, as her little head started to bob and when it finally fell backwards Daniel wrapped his arm around her to keep her steady.
"Time to go back," Vala whispered, finally having her own reigns.
"Yup," Daniel nodded turning the horse around and the two walked in silence back to the house. When they reached the house, the driveway was filled with cars, signaling that it was almost Christmas Eve dinner.
Climbing off the horse, Vala walked over and took Eva as Daniel placed the child in her arms. Jumping off the horse, Daniel gave Vala a quick kiss before he trudged with the horses back to the barn where one of his nephews was cleaning.
"Hey Bud, can you unsaddle the horses for me?"
"Sure Uncle Daniel," Nathaniel smiled taking the reigns before he walked out of the barn and back to the house.
Vala had already made it upstairs and laid Eva down, as she sat on the bed and started to remove her clothing. Closing the door, Daniel smiled and shrugged off his own jacket.
"You know Daniel," Vala started standing up and taking off her slightly damp pants. "I’m glad you made us come."
"Me too," Daniel smiled as he looked over at the playpen, Anastazia just beginning to wake. She was making slight murmurs before her eyes opened and she started to cry. Daniel walked over to her and bent over, before smiling brightly. "Good afternoon Sunshine."
Looking over at Vala he smiled and then bounced his baby. Yeah, he was glad Christmas time was spent with his family.
~~
Christmas day was filled with smiles and taking. Anastazia was the first to wake, she was hungry more than excited, the cry woke Eva up who realised it was Christmas. The little girl jumped out of her bed and climbed onto her father.
"DADDY!" Eva whispered excitedly. "Daddy! Its Crismas!" she said bouncing a bit on his stomach. "Santa came!" Daniel smiled as he saw the excitement in Eva’s eyes. Anastazia was now wide awake, sensing her sister’s excitement and small family headed down the wood stairs.
"You have to be quiet," Daniel whispered as they walked into the living room, already filled with the family. "Maybe not," he chuckled as he put Eva down on the ground and pulled Vala into his embrace.
An hour later, the fireplace was filled with wrapping paper, the toys for Eva and Anastazia were scattered around the living room as the older children played with their cousins. Vala held Anastazia as the little girl looked around with her big eyes, her first Christmas and she was still a bit confused as to what was going on.
The rest of the day was spent rather interesting to the Jacksons’ previous christmases. Usually spent playing with their children and then heading to Sam’s for dinner, was now spent with the entire family. The women spent the day in the kitchen baking, and the men out side getting the sleigh hitched up and the animals tended to.
Dinner was filled with chatter, Anastazia in giggles as she was passed over between the Grandparents and her parents. Eva sat between her parents attempting to talk to everyone at the table. Daniel watched his children, they were happy; he had never seen Eva so happy.
Even Vala seemed happier, she was getting to know his family, and generally looked like she was having a good time. To him that was the greatest thing in the world, his three girls, happy, healthy and loved.