Coming Out of Exile: The Strength of A Father's Love
By Moon Mistress

Chapter Twenty

Creeping down the darkened corridor with its slimy walls and the acrid scents of torture, pain and death in the air Daniel slowly made his way forward.  She was close. He could feel it.  Maybe that was just his wishful thinking and he tried to balance the ideas in his mind so that he could justify them and decide which was true.  Wishful thinking or not he decided to follow his heart in whatever direction it led him.  He touched the medallion around his neck.

C’mon Kitty, tell me where you are.  I know you can hear me.

There was no solid reply but the feeling in his buzzing head that he should go left at the next turn. Thinking of the master ring on Kanan’s hand and false signals to attract him into an ambush he couldn’t help it when the left turn came up he wandered down the hall.

Here there were sounds.  Moaning and groaning.  The smell of urine and excrement grew stronger.  The other cells were empty and indeed some of their doors had been wide open but here they were all shut tight and if he dared to put his ear against the disgusting rusted pitted and oozing metal doors he was sure he’d hear the occupants inside.  None of them would know where she was.  He was closer to her than before but not in this corridor.  Looking down at his watch he saw seven minutes had passed soon it would be time to turn around and make his way back to the appointed meeting place.

The buzzing in his head grew stronger as he neared the end of the corridor and without even asking himself he went right.  More occupants here and Daniel thought he must be getting closer to the center of the prison where the worst of them were kept.  Kanan had not freed them. They were too dangerous to be set free and would pose a threat to his authority.  If they had no love of Naganti Kanan then perhaps Daniel should let them all go.  It seemed an intriguing thought but Hades had imprisoned them here for a reason and maybe it was best to leave them to suffer for whatever their crimes had been.

At the end of this corridor Daniel stood still as that buzzing came to a crescendo and then seemed to fade away.

No, no, no…c’mon Kitty. I’m here.  Where are you?

Nothing.

Both corridors presented him with equally appealing choices. Both were dark and holding out the flashlight in front of him he realized he couldn’t see the end of either of them.  One led to Calla and the other…

This way

“Kitty?” He whispered to the darkness as her voice rang softly in his head. “Which way?”

This way

Although he couldn’t be sure he thought she was down the left corridor and so he took off down that way at a swift pace. “Kitty?” He called out hoping his voice would carry through the thick walls and iron door.  Turning around in full 360s as he trotted down the hall to be sure no one was behind him he kept going and when that buzzing in his head returned he reached out to door after door sliding the small window panels open and flashing his light inside.  The surprised occupants cried out in pain when the light hit their eyes they hissed at him and spit at him as they screamed for the light to be turned off.  If Kanan didn’t know they were here he’d soon know by the disturbance down here.

Sliding open panel after panel he finally saw her.  She was sitting naked on something that had once passed for a bed. Her knees were drawn up to her chin and she was rocking back forth trying to comfort herself. “Kitty?” Daniel said whispered with relief. “Honey, I’m here.” Calla looked up and then held one hand to her eyes to shield them from his light.

“Who are you?” She asked in a parched weak voice.

“It’s me, Kitty, it’s Daniel and I’m going to get you out of there.”

Calla wasn’t ready to believe him. “When was the first time we made love?”

Daniel snickered.  “In my quarters at the SGC two days after I brought you home.”

That was the right answer to her little question. David wouldn’t know that, no he would have said it was during the ritual but Daniel knew better.  Dropping her hand from her eyes so they could adjust to the small light he was shining in on her she drank him in like an alcoholic with a bottle of Wild Turkey. It wasn’t a delusion or David in disguise, Calla jumped off the bed and sprinted across the room only to be held back by the collar around her neck. The pricks on the inside of the old collar mercilessly bit into her soft flesh almost bringing her to her knees.  Calla held her hands out as far as she could hoping that she could touch his fingertips which were stretching through the small panel. They fell inches short of each other. “He knows you’re here.” She muttered. “Run, Daniel.”

“Not without you.”  Unable to touch her and growing frustrated he stood back away from the door to look at the lock on it.  It was heavy and old. He looked at Excalibur and thought if the sword could hold back the whirling fan and bust open the lock on the mausoleum surely it could twist that sucker open.   His eyes caught sight of his watch.  The twenty minutes had passed and then some. Nicholas and Duncan would be looking for him by now.  Unsheathing Excalibur he jammed the sword into the bend and began to twist it. “Come on you bitch!” Daniel muttered as he used al of his weight and strength to try and force the damn thing to pop.  Through the open pane she took in the look of determination on his face and once more begged him to leave her.  “No.” Daniel grumbled, loosened his grip on the hilt and took hold of it again.

“Gimmie that.” Daniel turned quickly to see Nick behind him. “What happened to don’t be a hero?” He asked snidely and then looked in the pane. “Hi, Mom.”

“Nicholas!” Calla cried and once more strained against the tether but to no avail.

“Step back.” Nick told everyone around him as he grabbed the hilt of the sword with both hands and turned it so viscously the old lock had no choice but to bend to his will.  It popped open and he and Daniel rushed inside while Duncan stood guard outside the door.  

Daniel wrapped her up in his arms and held her tight. Jumping in his arms and pressing her naked body to him he was never so glad to see anyone in his life. She stunk and she was filthy head to toe.

“You shouldn’t be here.” She wept against his chest and pulled her body in closer still. Something hard stuck her in the shoulder and she ran her hands along the vest he was wearing until she could get the shape of it. “You didn’t! You didn’t bring it with you!” Calla cried and abruptly snatched the small finely made decanter from the inside pocket of his vest. “Do you know what this is?”

“It’s what he wants, isn’t it? I had to bring it, Kitty.” Daniel explained. He thought she’d be upset but not this upset.

Just as was about to start spinning out of control his words calmed her. Yes, it was what he wanted and it was best to give him what he wanted. Calla stopped arguing and nodded her head as she gently placed it back in his pocket. “David?”

Daniel just shook his head. “It doesn’t matter right now.”  Filthy and dirty as she was she was a sight for sore eyes!  There were so many nights in Zeus’ Dungeon that Daniel thought he’d never see her again. “Get this thing off of her.” He told Nick. “You all right, honey?” He asked hopefully. “Did he hurt you?” He kissed her grimy forehead and stood back to get a better look at her.  The first thing he noticed after the dirt was the red stain between her legs. “Calla?”

“It’s not mine.” She stuttered as she felt her world start to spin again. “It’s Ares’ Ichor.”  She almost burst into tears but held them back as tried to be brave.  “Kanan hasn’t…” her voice trailed off.

Daniel didn’t like where Ares’ Ichor had dried between her legs or the fact that there seemed to be so much of it.  “What happened?” His eyes adjusting further to the lack of light he took in the deep scratches on her neck and the collar around it and something hanging below it between her breasts. Daniel picked it up. It was soft and squishy. Flesh like and…. “Holy shit!” Daniel dropped it. “Is that…?” He pointed at it. “Is that???”

“It belongs to Father.” Was the only answer she could give him. “We’ll discuss it when we get out of here.” She told him and felt a pull on the chain behind her. Calla turned to look at Nicholas.

“Sit down.” He told her as he looked past her shoulder to the drying and wrinkling penis hanging around her neck. A shiver went through him and he felt like getting sick but kept the feeling in check.

Calla didn’t want to sit on the nasty bed any longer but she did as she was asked.  With the chain now having a good amount of slack in it Nicholas snapped it easily and while the collar remained around her neck she was free to leave the cell through the open door.  Before Daniel could act Nick had his shirt off and was putting it over Calla’s head.

“Better?”

“Thank you.” Calla said gratefully and in the dim light took in the strange marks on his brawny body. “What’s that?”

Nick groaned. “Spider bites. We’ve had one hell of a time getting here.”

“Spider…” she looked up at Daniel.

“Don’t worry about it. We’ll discuss it when we get out of here.”  He held her tightly again.

“Where’s Annie? Is she all right?”

Calla broke their embrace. “She’s down the hall in a room with Jack and Sam. He hasn’t hurt her, Nicholas.  I swear he hasn’t touched her.”  Annie. Poor Annie.  Anger grew hot and swift in her as Calla pulled her hand back and jumped up to slap Nicholas across the face. “How could you do that?!” She shouted at him and slapped him one more time. Nicholas just stood there stunned looking down at her as his teeth rattled in his head. “I raised you better than that!”

“What are you talking about?” He rubbed his aching jaw.  His Mother had hit him exactly once before in his whole life. That was when he accused of her sleeping with Hartley while Dad was offworld. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Adulterer.” She muttered in an accusatory voice. “Betrayer. She loves you.”

“What are…”

“I saw your son!” She interrupted.  “And his mother! Raven Lightfoot…how could you do that to Annie?” Calla went to hit him again but Nicholas caught her hand.

“That’s something else we’ll discuss when we get out of here.” He said an in an even but chilly voice. “You’re not going to hit me again.”

“Annie!”

“Knows all about it!” Nick tried to keep his voice down as he kept hold of her hand. “She was there! I told her about the baby years ago.” He didn’t know what happened down here but obviously Kanan had filled her in on the illegitimate son of Nicholas Jackson and she was not happy about it at all.

“Annie would never…she’s a good girl. A sweet girl and unless you made her—“

“I didn’t make her do anything,” Nick growled and increased the pressure on his Mother’s hand until she cringed. “You’re one to talk,” he sneered, “raised me better? Hartley, Umpa and god know who else you’ve fucked behind Dad’s back not to mention Uncle David!”

“Nick!” Daniel shouted but Nicholas didn’t seem to hear him.

Nicholas just went on getting more and more lost in his anger as he went. “You should have seen the things Annie did. She enjoyed every—“

“Nick!” Daniel said in a harsher voice as Calla started to tremble.  Finally he caught his Son’s attention. “Remember where you are.” He looked around at the cell. “Get it under control.”

“I hate to break up this family reunion but I think it’s time we got going.” Duncan said from the doorway. “Something’s moving out here!”

Calla pulled her hand free from Nicholas’ grasp. “Don’t you ever speak to me like that! No matter how old you get I will always be your Mother and your Queen!” She hauled off and slapped him one more time before she turned to her Husband. “I told you to run!” Calla shouted at Daniel and pulled her hand free from Nicholas’ grasp. “Now he’ll have all of us.”

Nicholas pushed past his Mother shoving her into his Father’s arms and stormed through the door. A son, I have an older son, he said to himself as he went. Where is he? What’s his name? Is he all right?  Looking left and right down the corridor he called for Daniel to toss him the Zippo lighter. Lighting one of his arrows on fire he shot down the hall it tossed shadows as it went and then something screamed out in pain as it burst into a ball of flame bright enough to light up the entire corridor and they saw a hoard of Shadows scrambling toward them. “Let’s go!” He shouted inside. “Now! Move!”

Daniel grabbed Calla’s hand and fled through the open door with her in tow. “Go! Go! Go!” Duncan shouted out.  But there was no where to go. The Shadows flanked them and ran at them from both corridors at once.  Nicholas lit and shot off arrow after arrow bringing down one and sometimes two at time but it wouldn’t be long before the position was overrun.  With no choice left to him Daniel shoved Calla back into the cell and slammed the door.

“NO!” She screamed.

“You stay there!” He demanded as he took up Excalibur not knowing if it would be any use against the Shadows of the Undead or not.  It was all he had so it had to work.  Held in front of its master the blade began to emit a low humming sound and soon a bright light burst from the cold metal.  The Shadows screeched and held up their arms against the light like vampires forced into the sun.  They retreated and pushed back as they started to smoke burning from the inside out they exploded into tufts of black mist that hung heavily in the air.

Duncan’s blade, on the other hand, was not effective in the slightest as he thrust and stabbed at the Shadows it only went through them and did nothing to discourage them from charging at him. Daniel turned Excalibur in the other direction hoping to alleviate Duncan’s problem and the Shadows rushing from that direction did the same as the others. They held their arms up to shield themselves from the light while they hissed in pain.  “A little help here, Nick.” Daniel called out.

Nicholas turned around and understood the situation.  He had another very small bottle of lighter fluid with him which he fumbled out of his pocket as he grabbed a hold of the blade of Duncan MacLeod’s sword. Dowsing it with the lighter fluid he set it ablaze. It wouldn’t last long but it would be of more help than before.

Now the Shadows of the Undead seemed to be coming through the very walls of this place as they swarmed it like cockroaches watching their brothers fall one by one but heedless of the danger.  Behind them Calla banged on the door screaming to be let out so she could join in the battle. Her fear and her frustration made her most vulnerable to Kanan who was hidden in the middle of his troops.

Trying to stay back to back they moved up and down the corridor in unison battling their way through the evil hoard.  Moving up the hallway they moved away from the door and didn’t notice when it opened or when Calla snuck out.  A few moments later a familiar voice was heard.

“Oh Dan-yell.” Kanan called out.  Suddenly the charging Shadows began to retreat but not very far as they kept their beady red eyes on the intruders. “Why don’t you put that down now, Dan-yell?”

Breathless but glad for the reprieve Daniel and his companions looked around and felt the sting of dread at the sight of the open door.

The Shadows suddenly parted left and right until Kanan was plainly seen. Calla was settled on the ground on his feet with Nicholas’ shirt beside her. “She knows her place. It’s time for you to learn yours.” Her eyes were blank and distant. In his head Daniel could hear Kanan telling her what to do and what consequences would be if she didn’t comply. “Now put it down and surrender.” Just incase Daniel didn’t quite understand what was going on around him Kanan drew a large knife from his belt as he pulled her up by her hair and then held it to her exposed breast.

Nicholas, who was standing behind his Father, saw a shot and he took it. Unseen by Kanan he loaded an arrow into the bow brought it up quickly and fired.  He was shocked as he watched Kanan push his Mother to the floor, letting go of her hair as the blade lightly dragged across her breast before he could drop it only to catch the arrow in midair just before it could hit him between the eyes.  “You’ve got spirit boy unlike your Father.” Kanan looked down at Calla on the floor clutching her bleeding breast. “Do you want to watch her die?” He dared. “Believe me if that happens no one will save your little Annie. I’ll send out the order and kill them all.”

“Dad?”

The only sound he heard in answer to his question was Excalibur hitting the floor at Daniel’s feet.

End of Chapter Twenty
Coming Out of Exile: The Strength of a Father's Love
by Moon Mistress
a/k/a Lisa Beth Darling
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Chapter Twenty-One