Longing For Home (3/9)
“Catherine,” Sha’re said in relief as she opened the door to her friend. “I am so relieved you are here!”
As soon as Catherine entered the house, she wrapped her arms around Sha’re comfortingly. “Don’t worry, dear,” she said. “I’m sure everything’s going to be fine.”
Sha’re bit back the tears she had been fighting all day. “All the message said was that the base is under quarantine because of a contagion,” she said as Catherine released her. “I do not know whether Danyel is well or if he is…” She could not finish her sentence. Thinking of anything other than that he was well was just too much for her to handle.
“Come on, let’s get you back into bed,” Catherine said, gently taking Sha’re’s arm and guiding her towards her bedroom.
Sha’re allowed herself to be helped into bed, relieved that she did not have to suffer through her anxiety for her husband’s well-being alone anymore. The baby’s birth might come at any time, and Daniel was supposed to be with her. She was so afraid that something would happen to him before he even had a chance to hold his own child.
At Catherine’s caring instructions, Sha’re tried to put such thoughts out of her mind and allow herself to relax, but it was a difficult thing to do. She just wished she knew for certain what was happening to her husband. If he was ill, she felt she could deal with it better if she only knew.
Catherine insisted she stay in bed for the rest of the day, waiting on her hand and foot so she did not have to lift so much as a finger while they waited for word on the situation at the SGC. Hours passed, and no word came. Sha’re was about to go out of her mind when the telephone finally rang.
She wanted to jump out of bed and rush into the other room to answer it, but she knew that Catherine would not approve. She heard the older woman answer it and talk quietly to whomever was on the line for a minute or two. Waiting for her to hang up and share the news was agony.
Finally, she heard the receiver return to its cradle, and Catherine came into the room with a forced-looking smile on her face. “How are you doing, dear?” she asked.
“Was that Danyel?” Sha’re asked anxiously. “Is he alright?”
“That was someone from Stargate Command,” Catherine said carefully. “They seem to have found a cure for whatever this disease is, so it won’t be long now before the quarantine is lifted.”
“And Danyel?”
“I’m sure he’ll be home soon,” Catherine assured her. She patted Sha’re’s arm and then turned to leave. “Just rest now,” she said. “I’ll be bringing you something to eat in a few minutes.”
“I am not hungry,” Sha’re said, almost choking on the lump of dread that had risen in her throat. “I wish to speak to my husband. When can I do so?”
“Soon,” Catherine said, her light tone obviously covering her own worries. “Not tonight, but I’ll ask tomorrow.”
“He was ill, then,” Sha’re said, trying hard to understand what was going on.
“I think so,” Catherine replied. “The doctor didn’t really get into specifics. Get some rest.”
This was easier said than done. How could she rest when Catherine was clearly hiding something from her? Still, she did manage to sit quietly in bed for the next hour, choke down some food when Catherine brought it to her, and then suffer silently through the sleepless night as she worried and fretted over what was going on at the base.
Early the next morning, Sha’re was jerked out of a doze by the ringing of the telephone. It rang three times before she heard Catherine answer it. Sha’re held her breath as she waited to be informed of what the phone call was about.
She did not have long to wait. Catherine soon tapped on the door, and at Sha’re’s call of, “Enter,” she stepped into the room.
“Daniel is on the phone,” she said. “He wants to speak to you.”
Sha’re threw back her covers and tried to get out of bed as quickly as possible, but thankfully Catherine helped her and prevented her from toppling over once she was on her feet. It took much too long to get to the living room, but once Sha’re was there and settled on the couch, Catherine handed her the receiver and then disappeared into the kitchen.
“Danyel?” Sha’re said, hardly daring to believe she would hear his voice in reply.
“Hey, sweetheart. Are you okay?”
Sha’re’s anxiety melted away at the sound of her husband’s tinny voice. “I am well, Husband,” she said, smiling brightly at the selflessness of his question. “I have been concerned about you. Are you well? What has happened?”
“Uh…” Daniel sighed. Sha’re could hear worry and exhaustion in his own voice. “We had a bit of a situation here for a while, but it’s all under control now,” he finally said. “It’s sort of hard to explain, and I don’t really think I should over the phone, but I’ll tell you all about it when I get home, okay?”
“When will that be?”
“I’m not sure,” Daniel said, his voice suddenly becoming quiet, as though he were trying not to be overheard. “I plan on asking the doctor to release me tonight, but I don’t know whether she’ll go for it or not.”
“Release you? Then you were ill?”
“Yeah,” he said, sounding almost annoyed. “I was ill. I’ve got a few… injuries, too. Listen, I’ve gotta go, but I’ll talk to you later on, okay?”
Sha’re was confused by his abrupt change of mood, and was about to reply when she heard a woman’s voice in the background.
“Dr. Jackson, you are not supposed to be out here.”
“I just had to call my wife,” she heard him protest. “She’s pregnant… due any day. I’ll go back to bed in a second.”
“One minute to wrap it up,” the woman said.
“Okay.” There was a pause, and then Daniel spoke to Sha’re again. “Sorry about that,” he said, sounding weary. “That was our new doctor. She seems to think I’ll fall apart if I’m not in bed or something.”
“Then you must go, Danyel,” Sha’re said firmly.
“Ganging up on me now, are you?”
Sha’re smiled at the hint of humour in his tone. “If I must obey doctor’s orders and rest, then so must you.”
“You’ve got a point,” he conceded. “I promise I’ll talk to you again tonight, though, okay? Either in person or over the phone.”
“I shall look forward to that.”
“Me, too. I love you.”
“I love you, Danyel.”
“Bye.”
“Goodbye.” She hung up the phone when she heard the click from Daniel’s end of the line. She knew that meant he had hung up and was now on his way back to bed. She must do the same.
That day was much easier to bear than the previous day had been. Knowing that Daniel was well and safe and being taken care of by the best doctors on Earth made it feel like a great weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. She didn’t even have to fight to get her meals down when Catherine brought them to her.
It was dark by the time the telephone rang again. Catherine took the call, and soon came to Sha’re’s room to tell her that Daniel was coming home. Sha’re insisted on being allowed to wait for him in the living room, as she wanted to be there as soon as he walked through the door. Catherine agreed, and the two of them sat together as they listened attentively for the sound of a car pulling up to the house.
Sha’re had only been living on Earth for a few weeks, but she already knew each of the vehicles that came to her home by sound. Daniel’s car was quiet, but always made a shuddery sound as it turned off. Samantha Carter’s car made a funny purring sound. Jack O’Neill’s truck was louder than the others, but not overwhelmingly so. Catherine was usually driven to their home in a long car that made hardly any noise at all.
It was Jack O’Neill’s truck that she heard about half an hour after the call. This puzzled her, as she knew that Daniel had taken his car to work the other day. By the time Catherine had helped her to her feet, they could hear footsteps on the porch and a key rattling in the lock. Catherine hurried to open the door, and stepped aside as Daniel and Jack O’Neill came in.
The first thing Sha’re noticed was that Daniel was leaning on Jack O’Neill’s arm, and that he was limping. Then she saw his battered face and her jaw dropped in horror.
“Danyel!” she gasped. “What happened to you?”
“It’s a long story,” he replied, looking embarrassed at suddenly being fussed over by two worried females. Catherine removed his coat while Sha’re took his arm and led him over to the couch, stroking him and making sympathetic noises all the while. “Sha’re, you really don’t have to look after me,” he said. “You shouldn’t even be walking around like this.”
“I am well, Husband,” she said in her firmest tone. “You are not. Look at you. Your poor face!” She sank down beside him on the couch and placed a gentle kiss on a patch of his face that was not bruised.
“I’m fine,” Daniel argued. “Right, Jack?”
Sha’re followed Daniel’s pleading gaze up to Jack O’Neill, who was looking rather amused at the attention his friend was receiving.
“Oh yeah, he’s fine,” Jack said, though his eyes shone with silent laughter. “Just a couple cracked ribs, a bit of internal bleeding, nothing to worry about.”
“The bleeding stopped, thank you,” Daniel snapped.
“That does not sound fine,” Sha’re chided, trying to hide how frightened the words had made her feel.
Daniel turned to her and took her face in his hands. “I’m fine,” he said again, looking straight into her eyes in the way that meant he was telling the truth and needed for her to see it. She nodded, and he kissed her forehead tenderly.
“Will you tell me now what happened?” she asked.
Daniel winced at this question, though Sha’re was unsure whether it was because of what she asked or because of his injuries. He took a deep breath, and then started relating the strangest tale that Sha’re had ever heard. People turning into animals… Jack O’Neill beating Daniel… Daniel being taken by these animal-men and beaten yet again before he finally turned into one of them… the new doctor, Dr. Fraiser, coming up with a cure for the “disease,” which ended up being Daniel’s allergy medication… SG-1 then rescuing Daniel, curing him and the animal-men, and sending the animal-men home to their families. It all sounded ridiculous, yet he told the story quite seriously, even looking pained by the memory at times.
“And this illness… it is now gone?” Sha’re asked once the tale had come to an end.
Daniel nodded, stroking her hair absently as he had done all the time he had been talking. “We all had to be decontaminated before we left the base as a precaution, but yes, it’s gone now.”
“That is good,” she said, sighing and resting her head against Daniel’s shoulder.
“Okay, enough of the chit chat,” Jack spoke up. “Let’s get all injured or otherwise incapacitated parties into bed.”
Sha’re gave Daniel a confused look, but he just shrugged his shoulders. “Best not to argue,” he said, dragging himself to his feet and holding his hand out to help Sha’re to stand.
“Ah ah. You… bed,” Jack commanded, stepping in between Daniel and Sha’re and shooing Daniel away.
“But Jack…”
“No arguing, remember? Go.” Jack bent down to help Sha’re up as Daniel obediently limped off to the bedroom without another word.
After making a quick trip to the bathroom, Sha’re was ushered into her room and into bed. Daniel was already there, being fussed over by Catherine as she brought him a glass of water and pills and tucked him in like a child.
Once Sha’re was in bed and had been similarly fussed over by Catherine, Jack and Catherine turned out the light, shut the door, and left Daniel and Sha’re alone in the dark. After a long moment passed in silence, she felt Daniel shift position slightly.
“Am I the only one who feels about five years old right now?” he asked.
Sha’re laughed and turned her head to look over at him. “That is exactly how I am feeling, yes,” she agreed.
She could see Daniel’s bright smile even in the darkness as he propped himself up on one elbow and leaned down to kiss her. He soon winced and pulled away, however, and she stroked his arm in concern as he lay down again on his pillow.
“Are you well?” she asked.
“I’m fine,” he said. “Just shouldn’t bend like that while I’ve got cracked ribs.”
Sha’re reached over to turn on the lamp, and after blinking for a moment in the sudden light, she said, “Let me see.”
“Are you sure you want to?”
“Yes,” she said, pulling herself up into a sitting position and turning back the covers from her husband’s torso.
Daniel sighed and lifted his shirt to reveal the sickening assortment of black, blue, and purple bruises that covered the skin underneath.
Sha’re gasped and gently stroked his stomach with a feather-light touch. “You must be in so much pain!”
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” he was quick to say. He pulled his shirt back down and brought the covers back up to his chest. “Now, what about you?”
“Me?” Sha’re asked as she laid back down again.
“I showed you mine, now you show me yours. That’s the way it works, right?”
Sha’re did not understand her husband’s obvious attempt at a joke, but she smiled and pushed the covers down past her belly, raising her nightshirt to her chest.
Daniel turned onto his side and lifted himself up to lean over and place a kiss on her bulging stomach. Then he settled himself into a comfortable position with his head on her shoulder and his hand stroking her belly. “You can turn the light out now,” he said, sounding as though he were about to fall asleep.
Sha’re complied, and soon they were bathed in darkness once again. With Daniel’s hand tracing circles across her bulge and Jack and Catherine’s quiet voices drifting into the room from somewhere nearby, Sha’re started to drift off to sleep.
“Are you still awake?” Daniel asked a few minutes later.
“Yes,” Sha’re half-lied as she tried to bring her mind back into focus. “What is it, Danyel?”
“I… need to tell you something,” he said. His voice sounded nervous, which filled Sha’re with a sense of foreboding.
“Tell me what?”
“There was… a woman… while I was among the Touched. She was the daughter of one of the men we met while we were in the Land of Light. She contracted the disease just before I did.”
Sha’re did not like where she felt this confession was heading, but she did not interrupt him.
“One of the symptoms of the disease… was… primal behaviour. Living on instinct. One of the most instinctual of behaviours is… seeking a mate.”
Sha’re tensed at these words, her blood seeming to freeze in her veins as her heart felt as though it had stopped beating.
Daniel lifted his head and brought his hand up to touch her face. “No… no, don’t worry, Sha’re, I didn’t… I mean, I almost…” He took a deep breath and then tried again. “I didn’t do anything with this woman, Sha’re. Jack, Sam, and Teal’c got there just in time, I think. I was… I was trying… but she kept shunning me. Playing hard to get, as they say. Thank God she did.”
“If you did nothing, then why are you telling me?” Sha’re asked, not quite believing his assurances.
“Well… partly because Jack was making jokes about it, and I was a bit afraid that you would overhear and think the worst. But also… afterwards, when we were ourselves again, she remembered what had happened. She wanted to thank me, and she, uh… she kissed me.”
This did not set Sha’re’s mind at ease. “I see.”
“I told her I was married, Sha’re. I just… I’m… I’m ashamed of what I did, or tried to do, and I just felt like I should tell you about it. I want to be completely honest with you. No secrets… ever.”
Tears sprang to Sha’re’s eyes when she heard his voice break with emotion. “Thank you, Danyel.”
“Do you forgive me?”
She smiled and stroked his hair. “Of course I forgive you,” she said.
Daniel’s relief was so complete that she could feel it wash over him at her words. “I love you,” he said, kissing her forehead and taking to stroking her belly again.
“Just do not let it happen again,” she said in a stern tone.
Daniel froze for a moment, searching her face in the darkness to see if she really was angry.
She remained silent for a few seconds, making him suffer for as long as she dared, before she allowed a smile to break out onto her face.
Daniel let out a deep breath and shook his head. “You can be cruel,” he teased, laying his head back down on her shoulder and drawing the covers up to her chest.
Sha’re laughed. She was so thankful that she could trust in her husband’s love for her. This conversation had affirmed that for her as nothing else had done previously. If Daniel became this contrite over simply making an advance on another woman while suffering from an alien illness, then he really did love her and want to be only with her. This knowledge warmed her heart and sent her off into a deep sleep filled with many pleasant dreams.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Daniel took a week off after the Neanderthal incident, hoping that not only would his injuries heal in that time, but also that Sha’re would have the baby. When five days went by and neither had come to pass, however, he started to feel a little worried.
He lay awake that night, watching Sha’re as she slept and fretting over whether or not to request more time off. As much as he wanted to stay with Sha’re and help her through the rest of her pregnancy and the first few milestones of parenthood, he was anxious to get back to work. He had originally joined SG-1 in the hopes of finding Skaara, but he had soon found that he was actually starting to enjoy the adventures they had. He got to see up close and personal all of these ancient cultures he’d only ever read about before, interact with the people, ask them questions that modern man have been pondering for centuries, and bring back all kinds of new knowledge and artifacts. What anthropologist or archaeologist wouldn’t jump at that chance?
This was his dream job, yet at the same time, Sha’re and their soon-to-be-born child were the family he had been longing for his entire life. If he had to choose one over the other, he would most certainly choose Sha’re, but he hoped and prayed he would never be faced with that decision.
Still, as hard as he was hoping and praying, he knew it was inevitable. He could see how much Sha’re missed her home and her family, and he knew that as soon as the year was up and the Abydos gate was opened again, he would either be taking or sending her through it. Part of him was just hoping that by then it would be easier to say goodbye to his friends and his life on Earth than he was anticipating.
After about three hours of watching her and worrying about what was to come, Daniel finally realized how ridiculous the whole thing was and resolved to put those thoughts aside and get some sleep. He squirmed closer to Sha’re, draped his arm over her middle - or as close to her middle as her bulging belly would allow - and tried to get comfortable.
No sooner had he done this, however, than Sha’re jerked awake with a sharp gasp.
Daniel bolted upright, the pain in his ribs at the sudden action barely even registering in his mind over the fear that he had hurt his wife somehow. “Sha’re?” he said anxiously. “Are you alright?”
Sha’re’s eyes were wide open as she clutched at her stomach and took short, shallow breaths. “The baby,” she said, her voice sounding strained. “I think it is time.”
Daniel wasn’t sure what he should do after hearing these words, so he just froze. Baby? Time? Oh God…
“Um…” He racked his brains trying to remember what the procedure was, but his mind was completely blank. “I… this is the first contraction, right?” he finally managed to say.
Sha’re nodded and relaxed against her pillow as the contraction came to an end.
“Okay,” Daniel said, reaching for his clock. “We need to time them. That’s what the doctor said, right?”
“Yes.”
Daniel laid his hand on his wife’s forehead, concerned by how weary she looked. “Are you okay? Because if you’re not doing too well, I’d better get you to the hospital now instead of waiting.”
“I am fine,” she assured him, groping in the dark for his other hand and giving it a squeeze once she found it. “I just did not realize it would hurt so much.”
Daniel smiled sympathetically and kissed her cheek. “Will you be okay while I go make a phone call?”
Sha’re nodded, so Daniel got out of bed, hastily dressed, and went into the other room to call Jack. They had already arranged it that Jack would contact Sam, Teal’c, and Catherine when Sha’re went into labour so that they could all be there at the hospital when the baby was born. Daniel felt bad about waking him up in the middle of the night, but Jack had insisted on it and wasn’t upset at the interruption to his sleep.
Once he’d informed Jack of what was going on, Daniel hung up the phone, grabbed a glass of water for Sha’re, and returned to the bedroom just in time for her next contraction. He glanced at the clock as he sat down beside her and took her hand. Her iron grip took him by surprise for a moment, but once the contraction ended the pressure released. “Seven minutes,” he said, brushing the damp hair back from her face. “I think we should probably be on our way.”
Sha’re nodded, panting hard to regain her breath.
“I’ll go phone the hospital, let them know we’re coming. Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she said, accepting the glass of water as he held it out to her.
He didn’t fully believe her, so he wasted no time in making the phone call and getting back to her side. He continued to move as quickly as his sore ribs would allow while he helped Sha’re get ready to go, and by the time her next contraction hit, they were almost ready to head out the door.
Sha’re sank down into one of their living room chairs as the pain hit her, and Daniel held her hand until it passed.
“Six minutes,” he announced after a glance at his watch. “This is happening pretty fast.”
“Is this a bad sign?” Sha’re asked, her eyes wide with anxiety.
“No, not bad, exactly,” Daniel assured her. “I just don’t really want you to have the baby in the car, that’s all.” He smiled as he said it, but Sha’re didn’t seem to appreciate his attempt at lightening the mood.
“My water has come,” she said quietly. “I have ruined the chair.”
Daniel fought back the urge to laugh and helped her to her feet. “We’ll get it cleaned up when we get back,” he assured her. “Let’s go.”
Thankfully, they were only in the car long enough for Sha’re to have one contraction before they made it to the Air Force Academy Hospital. Once they were inside, everything started to happen so quickly that before he knew it, they were in the delivery room and Sha’re was writhing in pain while crushing his hand in a death grip.
Daniel had delivered a baby before and had witnessed the birth of another as a midwife had instructed him on what to do and what not to do for a successful delivery, but the birth of his own child was much more stressful for him than those births had been. Part of that stress was caused by the concerned looks on the doctors’ faces as they bustled about the room. The fact that they deemed it necessary for more than one doctor to be there for the birth was worrisome in itself, but to have those doctors then looking as worried as Daniel was feeling… Daniel knew that something was wrong.
“What’s going on?” he asked when he finally couldn’t stand it any longer.
“The baby is in distress,” one of the doctors replied. “We have the situation under control, Mr. Jackson, don’t worry. Try to keep your wife as calm as possible.”
Daniel could feel all colour draining from his face at the word “distress.” That did not sound good. He wished someone were there to keep him calm.
One look into Sha’re’s eyes, turned black with worry, made his own fears seem insignificant, however. “It’s okay,” he said, forcing a smile for her benefit. “It’ll be over soon.”
And it was. Barely a minute later, Sha’re was hit with another contraction, and this time the doctor instructed her to push. Daniel nearly went out of his mind with empathy as he watched his wife strain through her pain to bring their child out into the world. He didn’t know how she was doing it after going through so much already, but God did it ever make him admire her. No, admire wasn’t a strong enough word - he worshipped her.
As soon as the baby came, one doctor whisked it away while another took her place to look after Sha’re. Daniel didn’t know what to do - the baby had been taken out of his sight, but as much as he wanted to go over there and see what was going on, Sha’re still needed him. She was lying there looking absolutely spent.
“Danyel?” she murmured.
Daniel leaned in closer to her and stroked her wet hair lovingly. “You did so good, Sha’re,” he said, giving her an encouraging smile. “I’m so proud of you.”
Sha’re smiled faintly in return. “Where is the baby?” she asked.
Daniel looked over at the small crowd that had gathered around the doctor that had absconded with his child, a feeling of dread settling over him at the silence. Babies should cry. Babies that didn’t cry…
“Why is it taking so long?” Sha’re asked, panic entering her voice as she struggled to sit up.
“No, just lie still,” Daniel said, restraining her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I’ll go find out. Just relax and be still.”
He did not want to go over there. Every molecule in his body seemed to be trying to pull him backward as he forced himself forward to get a look at his baby, but somehow he made it across the room. The doctors didn’t even seem to notice his approach they were so intent on their work, so he went right up to them and peered over their shoulders.
Daniel froze as he got his first glimpse of the tiny form. It was purple. Shouldn’t babies be pink? Oh God, the baby wasn’t breathing.
He was just about to either panic or faint when a soft choking sound met his ears. The baby was alive! It was struggling to breathe, and the doctors were trying to clear its air passages. Daniel found himself inwardly cheering the baby along, chanting over and over in his mind, ‘Breathe for Daddy. Breathe for Daddy. Please, baby, breathe.’
It felt like hours passed in those few seconds, but when a sudden cry broke the dreaded silence, everything seemed to return to normal in an instant. The baby’s indignant screams were music to Daniel’s ears. He was so relieved that he almost collapsed on the spot.
“You have a beautiful daughter, Mr. Jackson,” the female doctor announced as she turned and finally noticed him standing there.
Daniel’s smile must have literally spread from ear to ear. A daughter. He had a daughter. He was a father!
And the baby was pink, not purple any longer. Suddenly, life was very, very good.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To be continued...