Chapter Two

Day Two

Semi Charmed Kind of Life

Third Eye Blind

Quarter to five in the morning Calla had another full body spasm. One moment she was sleeping not so peacefully in his arms and the next she was wide awake, stiff as a board, shaking and screaming. Daniel had been dreaming about what it was going to be like when he got to make love to her again but now he was giving her the assurances she needed to get through one moment to the next. The methadone he gave her earlier wasn’t a high dose it was just enough to take the edge off and let the sleeping pills work. Daniel turned on the small lamp by the bed so he could see her. Calla made those low guttural sounds almost as though she was trying to say something, her hands clenched into fists and they pounded on the mattress as her legs thrashed about.

Adams said these spasms or seizures would get worse before they got better and so did Annie. This one was worse than one prior. Callas’ throat expanded and contracted along with her little stomach and he knew she was going to throw up again, that was ok, he could handle that. He didn’t know if she’d be able to get the puke out. It came up he watched her throat force her to swallow it and then choke. She coughed and more blood sprayed onto the blankets. Quickly he rolled her over on her side and got the waste basket by the bed. “It’s ok, honey, throw up in here, it’s all right. I got you, I’m right here.” Just in time, Daniel pulled her hair away from her face and sure enough whatever was left of the eggs and toast found its way into the waste basket. Daniel was thankful she got it out and wasn’t going to choke on it again. She hurled three times the last time was nothing but foam and bile. A few moments ago she was like a little radiator next to him and now she was cold as ice.

Now there was a drip of blood in the corner of her mouth and when she opened it to hurl again a great stream of it came out with the foam and bile. At first he thought she was throwing up blood and almost panicked but when she tried to talk to him again he saw that during the spasm she’d bitten her tongue and it was bleeding profusely. Kitty couldn’t afford to lose a lot of blood in fact she couldn’t afford to lose a lot of anything right now. She tried to throw up again and didn’t make it she choked on the blood and bile in her mouth and Daniel had to use all his strength to sit her up because her body did not want to bend. Upon reaching a semi-sitting position Calla hurled and Daniel caught it with the waste basket. That was the last time she threw up that night and soon the spasm eased off and she was breathless and drenched in her own sweat.

Callas’ eyes rolled back in her head as she collapsed against the bed. “S-s-sor-y,” she stuttered as she shook and began to cry.

“I love you, Cal. Everything’s going to be all right.” Daniel told her and put the waste basket by the bed. He turned back to her to see if she wanted to go back to sleep and she was scratching at her arms and then her hair and her legs and just everywhere. She was making long deep gouges in her skin with her fingernails. “Stop that,” Daniel told her.

“Ge-ge-get them out!” She cried.

Daniel tried to grab her hands but she was too fidgety she just kept moving. “Get what out?”

“Th-the BUGS!” Calla screamed. “Ge-get them out!”

“There are no bugs in your skin,” he tried to assure her and this time when he grabbed for her hands he was able to catch them. “It’s just the withdrawals, honey.” In his research Daniel discovered that the rather unpleasant feeling/hallucination that hundreds of bugs were crawling over, in and around the afflicted person was normal and mostly affected those suffering cocaine withdrawals which, of course, she was. “There are no bugs.”

“Yes! B-Ba-B-BUGS!” She yelled and tried to get her hands back as she wiggled and jumped and jittered on the bed next to him. “A-all ov-oer ME! B-BUGS! All in ME! Get-get-get them OUT! AHHHHHHH!” She cried out. “HELP ME!”

“I am helping you, honey.” Wasn’t there anything else he could to help her? Anything at all besides sit here and watching her suffer like this? He didn’t think there was so he just kept a tight hold on her wrists to keep her from opening her flesh up any further. It was too bad Hartley was dead because right now Daniel would really like to take his time killing him. Ares had done it too quickly. That little bastard got off far too easily.

If Calla had to through all of this then Hartley should be going it through with her…double time. But that little prick escaped into Death and Daniel’s only hope was that Hades had him burning somewhere. But, seeing as how it looked like Hades had his own ideas maybe Hartley was watching from somewhere with a smile on his face. Jesus he hoped not. What could he do for her? More methadone? No it wasn’t time for that yet but he had to do something. He didn’t want her to know where he was keeping the pills but he didn’t dare leave her alone like this either. Still, there wasn’t much chance of him getting her down all those steps and to the kitchen and if he left her alone she’d injure herself further.

You can’t be afraid to subdue her.

With dread in his heart, Daniel let go of her hands, got out of the bed and went to the unopened suitcase to retrieve the restraints. He no more let go of her then she was at it again, digging, clawing and scratching at her own skin. Oh God, help me. “Stop it!” Daniel shouted. “Maen! There are NO bugs.” His words fell on deaf ears and he struggled with her little quaking jittery body to get the wide belt around her waist. One at a time he wrestled with her to get her hands into the soft cuffs.

“NO!” She growled and tried to bite him as she’d done back at the house. “Let me go! You’re trying to kill me!”

“No, baby, I’m not.” Daniel said and felt the tears welling up in his eyes as he looked down at her and got the second wrist into the restraint. The cuffs weren’t too big but there weren’t enough holes in the leather and they wouldn’t hold her long. Later he’d have to punch a few more holes in the belt to be sure her hands couldn’t get out of it. For now it would do. “I have to go downstairs but I’ll be right back, don’t move.” He said in a stern voice and saw the confused but defiant look in her eyes. “Byan! Understand?” Again the Shankuk language seemed to cut through the haze, she didn’t stop fidgeting or screaming that there were bugs crawling around in her but she was a bit more still. Daniel dashed down the stairs as he took the key from around his neck, ran into the pantry, opened the lock box and took out two Valiums. At least they would help keep her calm. Running back up the stairs he dashed into the bedroom and then the bathroom to find antibiotic ointment, rolls of gauze bandages and to his delight a pair of nail clippers. Calla screamed bloody murder as he cut her long fingernails to prevent her from doing this again. “Stop it, stop moving or I’ll cut you.” After the words came out of his mouth he realized how much of a threat they sounded like even though he hadn’t meant them that way. He’d never purposefully cut her but Calla heard the threat and thought him serious about it. She laid still as she could while he chopped off her fingernails. All ten gone, Daniel told her to open her mouth and he tossed the pills inside followed by a drink of warm Coke. He got a good look at the tip of her tongue it looked like hamburger where she’d bitten it. Next spasm he’d have to put a pencil or something in her mouth to keep her from doing that again.

There was blood all over the bed. Her mouth was bleeding, her arms were bleeding, her legs, and the tender area between her breasts were all covered with those gouges where she’d been trying to get the bugs out of her. “Lay still honey.” He said in a softer voice and then dashed back to the bathroom for a wet towel to clean her with before applying the ointment and then he wrapped the gauze around her wounds. Kitty couldn’t afford an infection at this point, hell she couldn’t afford so much as a cold right now. Fifteen minutes later the Valium kicked in and she stopped thrashing about and screaming about bugs. Ten minutes after that she was asleep again and he took the restraints off of her. Sleep wasn’t so kind to Daniel Jackson who stayed up the rest of the night holding vigil over her and making sure the fire in the hearth didn’t go out.

Calla tossed, turned and moaned throughout the early morning hours and into the day she finally woke at 10 am. Daniel spent that time sitting by the fire in the bedroom and reading through her diary. After her first stay in the Swiss clinic, Calla wrote a lot about the places she went and the things she saw. Hartley took her everywhere across Europe; the Roman Coliseum, the Arc De Triumph, the Eiffel Tower, and more. Calla would often write that she wished ‘Daniel were there to see it’, as though he hadn’t been to all of those places and more during his lifetime. Calla liked Rome and the little villa Hartley rented for them, she liked the people around her and painting on the lanai. She liked the little coffee shops but not the nightclubs so much.

As the days and nights went on and the entries continued her handwriting got sloppier and sloppier, her thoughts more jumbled and confused. She wrote about her openings and all of the famous and influential people who’d come to see her paintings. Some of those people she liked and others she couldn’t have cared less about. There was a description of each gallery and each gallery owner—most of those were favorable. Several times she wrote that she didn’t understand all the fuss and attention she was getting over her paintings and the photographs Dyer took of her which were very popular in Europe. Once she described it as being on a roller coaster run by a madman and all she could do was hold on until the end of the ride. Daniel thought that a fairly apt description with Hartley being said madman at the helm.

Early on Calla wrote about her concern for the kids, she wrote that she schedule was hectic and wasn’t able to keep in touch with them as much as she wanted and later she began to write and wonder why they weren’t keeping in touch with her. Calla worried about Colleen and the baby, she wondered if they were all right. She worried about Nicholas and Annie being so young and married and off on their own. But she appeared to think they would be all right, she was very pleased to hear about Nicholas’ new job and wrote that she ‘still wanted’ to use some of her money to send Annie to school along with Nicholas even thought Andy thought it a bad investment.

To Daniel it seemed that Hartley was at work keeping her apart from her family early on in the game. She wrote a small blurb regarding an argument she had with Hartley over the cell phone bill and calls to Colorado. Andy won. So then it was a damn good thing when Daniel—with David’s help—got up the balls to fly to Italy otherwise he might never have heard from her again except through Hartley’s lawyers.

Calla wrote, here and there, about her concerns for her Husband. Was Daniel all right? Was he happy? Was the new woman she’d seen him with everything he wanted and that she wasn’t? She hoped the answers to all those questions was ‘yes’ even though she missed him so much. Calla didn’t write about the other women or Medea or what Ares had done, no in those areas Calla let her paintings do the talking so no journal entries were needed.

Hartley was almost a mystery. He was here in the background of her journal and sometimes he was the main subject of an entry but not often. Hartley wasn’t the subject of many of her paintings. In fact, if he asked her, she’d tell him he was in only one that being the depiction of the picnicking couple. But he was in another, the one she called ‘Phantom Lover’, where he was fucking her at Daniel’s desk, in Daniel’s chair in Daniel’s office. She’d say that was a dream and it was Daniel and not Hartley behind her, he was sure of that.

Calla never once wrote that she loved Hartley or was in love with him or even that she liked having around—except for the drugs he passed out to her. So far, other than her descriptions of the events in the shower and the limo and his refusal to stay with her after being discharged from the hospital she hadn’t written one single thing about whatever intimacy they may have shared. Certainly they were doing something even if they weren’t actually fucking. Hartley struck him as a very sexual creature as was Calla. But still there was nothing about it.

Daniel wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. On the one hand he was relieved not to have to sit here and read too much about such things—of course he could always skim past it if he had to. On the other hand, Calla had watched him do it at least twice so why shouldn’t he have to read about it? What was there about it that kept her from writing it down? What it really was probably all came down to the fact that Calla didn’t like it in the least and therefore she didn’t want to record and remember it.

From downstairs came the deep thudding band of the big brass knocker being beaten again the wooden door. Daniel got up and hurried down the steps before the sound woke her. Upon opening the side door which led into the kitchen Daniel was greeted by the chilly Scottish air and the sight of the care taker, Angus McGee.

“Mornin’ Dr. Jackson, lovely day isn’t it?”

“Ah, if you say so, Mr. McGee. What can I do for you?”

“Just checking to see how you’re enjoying your stay. Anything I can do for you, sir?”

“No, I don’t think so. Mr. McGee, I don’t mean to be rude but my wife is very ill and well..”

“Ya don’t want me disturbin’ her.” Angus said with a wink. “What’s wrong with the little lady, if ya don’t mind me askin’?”

Daniel hadn’t come up with a cover story. “She’s had a very rough time lately and she needs a lot of rest.” That sounded about right.

“Dan-nie? Dan-nie? Calla called from upstairs.

“I have to get back to my wife.”

“Aye,” Angus agreed, “I won’t be disturbin’ ya anymore but if ya need anything just gimmie a holler.”

“I will, thank you Mr. McGee.”

“No trouble a’tall.” Angus said and then walked away.

“Dan-nie!”

“I’m coming, honey.” He called up the stairs. Daniel stopped in the kitchen to check the list again. It was time for more pills. He was thankful he’d brought the Valium with him it seemed to help her last night. Now it was time for more methadone and compazine. He was hoping she was hungry. Unlocking the box he took out the necessary amount of pills and slipped them into his pocket. Realizing he still had the diary with him Daniel tucked into the pantry with the lock box. Earlier he’d made pot of coffee and now he poured two cups and brought them upstairs. “Hi, how are you feeling today?”

“Awful,” she complained and sat up in the bed. “Where did you go?”

“I was just downstairs talking to the caretaker. I brought you some coffee.” He held the cup out to her and she took it in shaking hands. He watched with fear as she took a sip and the cup trembled, he thought for sure she’d spill it all over herself but she didn’t.

Calla took one sip, “Ow!” she cried and stuck her tongue out. Calla crossed her eyes as she looked downward to see what was wrong. Not only did she get a good look at her battered tongue but it was only now that she noticed the bandages on her arms. “What happened?”

“You don’t remember?”

“No,” she shook her head. “Is that my blood?” Calla asked as she looked down at the sheets and her white T-shirt.

“Yes, you were hallucinating. You thought there were bugs under your skin and you tried to dig them out.” Standing there looking down his wife Daniel wondered what else she didn’t remember. She had yet to say anything about their time in the Under World. Calla grimaced but didn’t say anything. “Are you hungry? Do you want to come downstairs for a little while? I can make you some breakfast.” Daniel said as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

“My stomach hurts.” She said in a weary voice and then tried another sip of the coffee.

“That’s because it’s empty,” Daniel explained and handed over the compazine. Junkies weren’t known for their good diets in fact the heroin suppressed her appetite and Daniel would say his little wife lost several pounds during her stay with Andrew F. Hartley. He probably liked that, yeah, Hartley probably thought the smaller waist made the new tits look all the bigger and more appealing. Asshole. She didn’t look like she needed the methadone at this exact moment so he held off on giving it to her. He’d give her the zanaflex after she had something to eat so that the pills didn’t upset her stomach.

“You keep giving me pills, what are they?” She asked as she looked down at the two little white tablets in her hand.

“Those are to help your tummy so you can hold your food down. Go ahead, take them.”

Calla did as he instructed and then “What caretaker?”

“Excuse me, honey?”

“You said the caretaker was at the door, who? Are they going to take care of me? Are you leaving me, Daniel?”

“No, Kitty I’m not leaving.” He smiled at her. “Honey where are we?”

“I don’t know,” she said in a distant voice and began to rub her temples.

“I told you yesterday we’re in Scotland, remember?” He didn’t wait for her to answer. “I thought you might like this place and you could rest here. Angus McGee, that’s his name, he takes care of this big old Manor House.” Daniel watched her look around the room. “Hey, if you go over there,” he pointed to a window, “you can see Dunvegan.” Calla tried to get up but her legs were weak and he put an arm around her to support her while they cautiously walked over to the window.

“Oh, Daniel, it’s beautiful.”

“Yeah, not bad, huh?” He asked with a wink.

“You’ve always been too good to me.”

“Not always,” he said in a low voice. “Later if you’re feeling up to it we can take a little walk outside. The gardens aren’t in bloom but you’ll get the idea.”

“The idea?”

Daniel thought about it for a second, he was going to wait to tell her this until she was stronger but maybe it would give her something to look forward to. “I was thinking that, you know, you’ve always said you wanted a big house in Scotland where all of grandchildren and great-grandchildren could come and visit or stay. So, how about this one?”

“Do you mean it?” Her eyes widened with delight. “We might stay here?” There was something familiar about this view, though she didn’t think she’d seen it from this angle before. Below her were faded gardens but their lay outs were familiar. The air outside looked crisp and clean just like back home in Greenbrier.

“We are going to stay here for a little while but we have to back to Colorado after that,” Daniel explained. It wouldn’t do any good if the world were constantly looking for her. If they were going to live Forever then the last thing they needed was her turning into the next Elvis Presley with odd sightings of her popping up in the tabloids for years to come. Once she was clean and sober again he planned to bring her home, show the world she was alive and all right and then after that she could bow out of the spotlight gracefully if she chose. “But if you want, we can come back.” Daniel stood behind her and put his arms around her. “We can talk about that later, right now, how about that breakfast? You can see the rest of the house. You need to eat something because I have more pills that I have to give you and if you don’t eat you’ll get sick again.” Steering her away from the window, Daniel brought her back to the bed and sat her down while he retrieved her robe from the suitcase. “We’ll get that unpacked today.” He told her and helped her slip into the warm robe. “Come on let’s go get something to eat.”

Holding on to his arm Calla followed him down the stairs as she looked around the house and thought it, the view and the gardens, familiar to her. “Do you know who owns this house?” She asked.

“Ah, um,” yes he knew the name of the man who owned it and it was on the tip of his tongue. “MacLeod, Duncan MacLeod.”

“Duncan?!” This was why things were so familiar. Once upon a time, long ago, she used to play in those gardens and gaze at Dunvegan from their walls.

“Do you know him, Kitty?” Daniel asked in surprised and then turned to look at her. By the smile on her face he’d have to say that she did know Mr. MacLeod. “Friend of yours?”

“I haven’t seen him since I was a little girl.” Calla looked around to see who might be watching or listening even though it was just the two of them here. “He’s Immortal, you know, like us.”

“He’s a god?” Daniel was suddenly worried.

“No, he’s Immortal but you mustn’t tell anyone.” She cautioned.

“Like me?”

“Sort of but he was born Immortal. Duncan is almost 500 years old. Is he here?”

“No, I’ve never met him.” They started walking down the stairs to the kitchen. Daniel settled her on the couch in the main living area. The walk down the steps wore her out, although her cheeks were flushed with excitement, Calla was a little paler than when she got up a little while ago and she was finding it a little more difficult to breathe. “Why don’t you stay here and I’ll make you some more eggs, ok?”

“Ok.” She agreed in a dreamy voice.

Daniel pulled a soft tartan over her bare legs and put the remote control in her hand. She was fading out again Daniel knew that he had to get that food and those pills into her fairly quickly. Calla was starting to tremble it was a little chilly in the main living room as he hadn’t tended the hearth down here with much care. Thankfully the big stone house did have oil heat and radiators in every room but the hearths certainly helped keep the chill away and it must call a small fortune in oil to heat this place through the winter. There was a drawback to buying it. Daniel smiled a little as the thought went through his mind. “I’m going to stoke the fire.” He told her and walking away he heard the TV click on. He fed the hearth and watched her while she absently flipped through the channels and nothing seemed to hold her attention. There was another small throw blanket on the back of the chair next to him and Daniel brought it over to her. “If you want there are a bunch of DVDs over there,” he pointed to a bookcase by the television. “When I come back with the eggs maybe we can pick out a movie to watch.” Daniel laid the blanket over her but she didn’t answer him. “Kitty?” She looked up at him with wide eyes, the pupils of which were fully dilated. Very soon she was going to start in again, the shakes would get worse and the calm would be gone for a while. “How many of me are there, Calla?”

She stared at him with those wide blank eyes her head bobbing back and forth on her shoulders. “F-five.” Calla said.

Daniel smiled and wished there were five of him to take care of her. “Ok, you stay here, right here.” He said flatly. “If you need me just call me. I’ll be back soon.” Behind him the TV was rapidly changing channels because she had her finger slammed down on the channel changer. Daniel had to pry her fingers off of it before he could get it out of her hand. He pointed it at the TV, found a talk show and told her to watch it. Daniel put the remote on the table in front of the couch and was thankful the kitchen was within earshot. “I’ll be right back.”

“Give,” she said in an insistent voice and held her arm out to him.

“No,” Daniel told her. “No more needles. No more heroin. We agreed, remember?” It was half hour past time for her methadone, still he wanted to stretch it a little longer.

With those much shorter nails Calla began to scratch at herself again. “Puh-ple-lease, give.”

Daniel’s research told him that withdrawal symptoms were worse between 48 and 72 hours into the detoxification process. They’d certainly reached that mark even with the small amount of methadone he was giving her to help keep the edge off. Today and tomorrow were bound to be the worst of it and then things would start to get better for both of them. Calla kicked the blankets off and at first he thought she was having a hot flash but she wasn’t, after the blanket went the robe. “Stop it,” Daniel told her. “Right now. I’m not going to give you a boot, do you understand, no matter what you try, it’s not going to happen. So just lay down and keep your clothes on.”

Calla didn’t want to listen to him, the monkey was on her back and he was pounding for his fix. Those wide black eyes rimmed with emerald flashed a hazy fire as she licked her lips. “You remember,” she whispered and with some effort stood up. “I-I know you do.” She tempted.

Oh yeah he remembered. The robe hit the floor and she was standing there in a white Viagra T-shirt and nothing else. They had often joked over the shirt that she wasn’t advertising the drug but she was Viagra. Daniel agreed. The little arms covered in stained gauze reached down for the hem of the T-shirt and Daniel felt his cock stir in his pants. “No.”

“I-I…can….please you.” Calla liked her lips again and reached for his crotch. “Very much.”

Against the tender area of his crotch Callas’ hot little hands shook like a gentle vibrator which wasn’t helping him any. Now she was slowly descending to her knees in front of him. Doubtless, this was the part where Hartley took full advantage of the situation. That thought was enough to dismiss any more pleasurable ones running through his head. “I said no.” Daniel grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her back to her feet. “Is this what you want, Calla? Huh? You wanna be my little whore? My little strawberry?”

“If you wish, yes.”

Oh, Christ. “I want my wife not some junkie whore.” The hazy fire in her eyes tempting him went out with the sternness of his voice. “You stay right there,” he pointed to the couch. “When I come back you will have something to eat and I’ll give you something to help you.”

Calla sat down without looking at him. “I have to use the bathroom.” She said.

Why didn’t that sound right to him? Still it was hard to argue with. “Do you want me to take you?”

“I..I..can..ma-nage it.” She stuttered but still she wasn’t looking at him but the anger in her voice was clear.

“All right, you know where it is. If you’re looking for drugs you won’t find any.” Daniel stepped back and out of her way. Calla got up again and he held the robe out to her. She pushed it aside as she pushed past him. He watched her stumble up the stairs as she held onto the banister. Daniel went to make breakfast while she used the bathroom.

Calla ripped the medicine cabinet apart looking for anything that would ease her suffering. The best she found was a bottle of NyQuil and some ibuprofen. She took the bottle of cold medicine and ransacked the bedroom. He had to be hiding those pills somewhere! Not in this bedroom. Calla threw open the door on her way down the hall and there was Daniel with breakfast tray in hand. He saw the bottle of NyQuil in her hand.

“Find what you were looking for?”

“Shut up!” She screamed in his face. “Wh-where…”

“You won’t find them. Now sit down, over there.” Daniel held the tray with one hand and grabbed the bottle with the other. “Not exactly what you wanted, is it?” He tossed it across the room where it landed on the bed and began to herd her toward the sitting area.

“Umn! Give!” Calla shouted as she pulled at her hair and stumbled backwards as he walked forward. Panicked and starting to hallucinate again Calla slapped the tray out of his hands. The food went spiraling across the room and landed everywhere. Eggs, coffee, juice, toast and slices of orange littered the carpet. The fine china plate smashed on the hard wood. “Ga-ga-ive to me!” She demanded and grabbed him by the collar with her small hands. Daniel’s face twisted and contorted before her confused eyes. “Yo—you’re mean!”

“Mean?” He asked. “I’m not the one who tossed their breakfast all over the place.” Daniel saw she was in front of the chair and he shoved her down into it and loomed over her, the key around his neck popped out of his shirt. “You’re going to clean that up.”

Knowing what it mean Calla grabbed the key and snapped the chain off of him “Wh-what do..you WANT?” Calla demanded as she shook the key at him. “Wh-where is it? JU-JUS-T GA-IVE IT TO ME!”

“NO!” Daniel shouted and snatched the key out of her hand. He should give it to her, it was past time, but not when she was like this. She’d have to wait until she calmed herself down. Calla was sweating her hair was drenched and she was clutching the arm rests as she sat shaking in the chair. Here we go again. No sooner did the thought complete itself then she was in one of those full body spasms. “Hold on, Kitty.”

Callas’ nails sunk into the material of the arm rests and her legs jutted straight out in front of her while her torso threw itself back in the chair. Dilated pupils rolled back in her head. Daniel tried to get his hands around her mouth before it clamped down and she bit her tongue again but instead of her tongue she bit him hard. Blood gushed from the area between his thumb and forefinger and he pulled his hand away. “Shit,” Daniel muttered. There was a table next to them with a drawer and he threw it open and found several pencils and a writing tablet inside. Daniel grabbed two pencils and got them between her teeth before she could bite down again. Her legs flailed wildly and he kept shifting his position so he she didn’t kick him.

Suddenly there was an awful odor in the air. Daniel looked down to see that she’d soiled herself and the chair with a large squirt of brown liquid. Her nose started bleeding and she started choking. She couldn’t breathe through her nose and she couldn’t breathe through her mouth with the pencil stuck in it. In a puddle of her own filth Daniel brought her up to a sitting position and forced her head over her knees. He took the pencil out of her mouth, Calla drew in a breath and the smell was enough to finish the job. Calla hurled on the floor. It was great puddle of clotted blood and bile. That wasn’t right, not at all. “Calla?” She couldn’t hear him and even if she could she couldn’t respond to him. Stiff as a board she shook uncontrollably while she evacuated from all ends. The shit and the urine were bad enough but the blood really worried him, she shouldn’t be throwing up blood and it certainly should not be in big clots.

They were here alone. Christ! Why hadn’t he brought someone with them?

Good advice, thanks Davy. “It’s all right, Kitty.” He soothed and rubbed her back while he took a deep breath. The smell was awful! The bowel movement was soupy and black, the urine was strong, the toxins she was sweating out had an acrid edge. But it was all coming out and that was the good part. She was getting rid of it all. “I love you, honey, everything’s all right. Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”

Callas’ pain filled eyes turned toward him, she was crying. She tried to say something but her stomach heaved again and she turned away as a fresh spray of bile and blood came out.

In all his research there was nothing about throwing up blood. That had to be a bad sign. Her bowels let go again. That chair, it was never going to be the same. He’d have to buy Mr. MacLeod a new one and probably a new oriental rug as well. Those stains weren’t going to come out either. Suddenly everything in her let go, her bowels, her bladder, her stomach all in one great big heave and then she was still and limp. “Kitty?” Daniel turned her over her face was pale and her eyes were closed. The fit exhausted her and she’d passed out. Grateful that this episode was over, Daniel laid her down on a clean area of the rug. Looking around at the mess he realized his own nerves were shot and he’d like a Valium and a drink. But that wasn’t going to do either of them any good. The stench was wicked he dashed over to the windows and threw them open to let in the crisp autumn air. Tossing open the windows leading to the balcony he was walked outside for a few moments and drew in breath after breath of the clean air until his head stopped swimming and he felt under control once more.

Looking back across the room, Calla was covered head to toe in her own filth. The mess was so big and wide he didn’t know where to start. Ok, one thing was for sure the chair had to go. Taking in another deep breath of clean air and holding it, Daniel crossed the room picked up the chair and quickly as he could brought it back over to the balcony where he pitched it off the side and into the garden below. He was sure it was expensive and it might even have some historical value but it was pointless to keep it. Now it wouldn’t be offending either of them anymore and he’d get a new one for Mr. MacLeod.

Calla was next. Daniel took the filthy T-shirt off her and used it to clean up her lower half like a baby before pitching it off the balcony. The tub had a hand held shower, Daniel carrier her over to it, turned it on and sprayed her down. He was afraid to draw Calla a bath, her body was so limp she’d probably fall under the water and drown. Besides how clean could he get her in a tub of her own filth? She didn’t wake or even move as he washed the muck from her. The bed was still clean and that was good, he tucked a few clean towels in under her to catch any further messes she might make in her sleep. Daniel kissed her forehead and covered her up before turning his attention to the rest of it. At least it smelled better in here though it was very chilly with the windows open. Before cleaning anything else up he stoked the hearth to a high flame. He looked back at her, she was totally out of it but she’d be all right while he went down stairs for a bucket and cleaning supplies.

Daniel found the items in the kitchen pantry. He filled a bucket with warm water and found a scrub brush, some rags, and a few cleaners. Digging around he found disposable garbage bags. Leaving the pantry with cleaning supplies in hand there was a knock at the door. McGee. Geez, he didn’t need any company right now. Putting the bucket and other items down Daniel hurried to the door and threw it open.

Angus McGee was not standing there. “Daniel Jackson?” A much younger and handsomer man asked as he held out his hand. “I’m Duncan MacLeod. Is that my chair in the garden?” Duncan spoke in a muddled European accent and stared at Daniel from behind mahogany eyes. He was clad in a sheepskin coat, blue jeans and work boots and seemed very amiable.

“Ah, yeah, it is.” Daniel muttered. “I can explain but…I, have…”

“Take care of Callestah, I know.” Duncan said with a warm smile. “Don’t worry about the chair. Mind if I come in? It is my house.” The warmth in his voice and the smile on his face never faded.

Daniel stepped aside to let him in. “She’s upstairs.”

“I saw her on the news. I meant to get to one of her openings but, well, something’s always getting in the way.” Duncan explained as they stood in the kitchen.

“How did you know she was here?” No one supposed to know she was here.

“A little bird told me.” Duncan said happily. “Shall we go?”

“Oh,” he wasn’t sure he wanted to bring Mr. MacLeod upstairs. “She’s sleeping.”

“I’m not going to hurt her, Daniel. We’re here to help.” Duncan assured him and began making his way toward the foyer and then up the stairs.

“We?” Daniel called after him as he caught up and they climbed the big staircase together. Before Duncan could answer him Daniel heard tittering coming from the bedroom. Was she awake and laughing? There was another sound mixed in with the high little bursts of laughter a buzzing sound. What was that? Daniel looked questioningly at Duncan who only motioned with his hand for Daniel to enter the room.

Faeries. Dozens of them. They flew in through the open windows and surrounded her as she lay sleeping. “Oh my god,” Daniel exclaimed. They weren’t like Maeve they were more like little pixies each one no more than six inches in length and perfectly formed. Each one with long blonde hair and fluttering iridescent wings. They were hovering around her and tossing—what he assumed was—pixie dust onto her. It glittered in the air before settling in her hair and on the sheets. “What are they doing?”

“Like I said,” Duncan clapped him on the back, “we’re here to help.” He walked fully into the room and over to where Calla was sleeping. “Well, this is a fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into, Ollie.” He said in an imitation of Stan Laurel’s voice. Looking around at the mess Duncan noticed the breakfast tray. “Threw a fit, did she?” He asked as he turned back to Daniel.

Daniel was distracted by the sight of the pixies. “I’m sorry about the chair and the rug, Mr. MacLeod…”

“Duncan.”

“I’ll pay for them.”

“I told you, don’t worry about it, Daniel.” Duncan tossed his dark head in the direction of the mess and half the pixies left Callas’ side. They hover around the mess on the rug and what was scattered across the rest of the room, their little wings buzzing like hummingbirds. They laughed and seemed to discuss the situation among themselves. Before Daniel knew it the mess was gone and so was the smell.

“Is there something you can do for her, Duncan? You know what’s wrong with her, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Duncan agreed. “Like I said, I saw her on the news. I was surprised to see her with Andrew Hartley,” there no mistaking the tone of disgust in his voice.

“You know Hartley?” There was instant distrust in Daniel’s voice.

“By reputation only I assure you.” Duncan stood up and walked back to where Daniel was standing. “I also deal in arts and in antiquities so we’ve traveled in some of the same circles. You don’t have any reason to trust me but I know someone who can help her. Mind you, they can only take the toxins out of her system.”

“Stop the withdrawals?”

“Yes. But the root problem will still need to be dealt with. Recovery is a long process.”

“I know, but if you can help her if you can ease this for her….”

“Not me,” Duncan interjected.

Daniel thought of the blood she was throwing up. “Whoever, she can’t keep going through this.”

“So you agree?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Duncan said to Daniel and took his coat off. “Go and get her.” He said to the pixies. Several of them flew off through the window and others stayed behind. They settled on the bed around Calla.

Gazing at all the little pixies and remembering where they were a thought came to Daniel. “You must know Maeve.”

“She’s my grandmother.” Duncan told him. “Callestah used to come and stay with me when she was small. Sometimes,” Duncan smiled as the memories went through his mind, “sometimes she got a little unruly and Maeve needed a break. Callestah would stay with me for a few hours or a few days, she always liked it here.”

On the bed Calla was coming around. Her hands were flailing in the air as though she were swiping at something. Suddenly she sat straight up. “Get off! Get off!” She started swatting at arms and pulling at her hair. “Get off me!”

Thinking of the bug incident Daniel trotted over to her and grabbed her hands. “It’s ok, Kitty.” He soothed but she pulled and pulled inside his hold and wiggled and cried out. Daniel tried to hold her still so she didn’t hurt herself again.

“Get them off me! Please!” She begged as she trembled and fought to free her hands.

“Move,” Duncan said from behind him. Even though he wasn’t all that sure about it, Daniel got up and allowed Duncan to sit in his place. “What’s on you?” Duncan asked in a soft voice.

“Sp-spiders! Get them off!”

“Where are they?” Duncan asked.

“M-m-y hair,” she huffed.

Duncan raised his hand in the air and pretended to brush the spiders out of her hair. “Any more, Ollie?”

A flash of recognition shown in her eyes. “Arms,” she said in a quieter voice. Again Duncan brushed away the spiders from her. Each make believe spider that fell away from her made her calmer.

“Any more?”

“No, all gone.”

“Better?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” Duncan turned around to an astonished Daniel. To Daniel it was obvious that Duncan MacLeod was very well versed in Calla Speak and how to handle her. “Sometimes it’s better to go with it than fight against it.” Duncan advised.

“Stan?”

Duncan laughed and smiled as he turned back to her. “Well, look who it is.” He said happily. “My little Ollie.”

“Duncan.” Now her eyes were bright and so was her voice. Calla reached out to hug him tightly and Daniel felt a pang of jealousy in his chest.

“You grew up on me, Ollie.” Duncan remarked as he hugged her.

“You didn’t.” She said with a smile.

“Oh, well in that case, did I mention that you look awful?” Duncan cracked. There was a very loud humming sound coming from outside. It was growing louder as it grew closer. “Daniel says it’s all right if we help you. It won’t hurt I promise.”

Now Calla noticed the little pixies around her. “Hello,” she said to them. They laughed and fluttered around her.

Through the open balcony doors flew a pixie who was larger than the rest. She had dark hair and violet eyes. Daniel realized she was not a pixie but a faery. There was a wonderful purple light which surrounded her.

“Hello, Mother.” Duncan said to her.

The little faery closed her violet eyes and soon there was a woman standing in the room. She had the most delicate features Daniel had ever seen next to Calla. The wings at her back fluttered as she smiled at her son. “Hello, Duncan.”

“Daniel, this is my mother, Fiona.” Duncan introduced them and watched as Daniel took her very slender hand in his own and shook it lightly.

“Daniel Jackson,” Daniel said introducing himself. “This is…”

“Callestah, yes I know.” Fiona told him. “How are you, child?”

“I’ve been better,” Calla stammered and looked very ashamed.

“I know that too.” Fiona said. “We’re here to help.” From behind her flew a whole brigade of pixies and faeries. They were carrying a large white cloth which streamed out in the breeze like a banner. Fiona’s delicate hand reached out and stripped the blankets from Calla.

“Hey!” Daniel exclaimed as her naked body came into view. None of them paid any attention to him and Duncan didn’t seem to mind seeing her.

“Sleep child,” Fiona soothed and laid a hand on her cheek. “When you wake you feel much better.” There was no more talk, Callas’ eyes closed and she lay down on the pillows. The brigade of faeries and pixies covered her with the long ream of cloth. All wrapped up in the cloth, Fiona stood at Callas’ feet while the rest of them made a circle around her and tossed more of the pixie dust onto her. Duncan moved aside and stood next to Daniel. The little faeries and pixies joined hands and began to chant. Fiona took one of their small hands in each of hers to complete the circle. The white cloth became stained with an oily substance which was soaking out of Callas’ body. The more they chanted and the louder it grew the more the more they smiled and the darker the stains became until the cloth was no longer white but pitch black.

Their work done the little creatures stopped chanting and removed the cloth from her. Fiona pulled the bed clothes back over Calla while the faeries and pixies flew away with the soiled cloth.

“Thank you, Mother.” Duncan said.

“You will come and talk with me later?” Fiona asked with hope in her violet eyes. “It’s been a long time, my Son.”

“It has.” Duncan agreed with a sigh. “I’ll be there.”

Fiona turned to Daniel. “The road is still long, this will not remove her yearnings but now there is light ahead. Good luck to you.”

“Thank you.” Daniel said gratefully.

The full grown willowy woman nodded and turned back into a fluttering faery and flew away with the rest of them.

“Why don’t you take a break, Daniel? Go for a ride or get some air. I’ll watch over her.” Duncan suggested. “Maybe get some sleep.”

Daniel had to admit he was tired. This was taking almost as much out of him as it was her. “Maybe a nap.” Still he didn’t want to leave her with a man he just met. “I’ll lay down with her.”

The man was protective of his wife and Duncan couldn’t say he blamed him. “Suit yourself. I’ll be back later on.”

“Why do you call her Ollie?”

Duncan snickered as he reached for his coat. “She used to love those old Laurel and Hardy movies. She’d curl up in my lap and we’d eat popcorn and watch them for hours and she’d laugh and laugh. Callestah has the brightest laugh I’ve ever heard.” Duncan remarked with a smile but the look on Daniel’s face soon caused his smile to fade. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Daniel agreed but it had been a very long time since he’d heard her laughter he’d almost forgotten what it sounded like. Suddenly it occurred to him, this man knew Calla before Psyche cursed her. He was one of the few who could touch her before that fate fell down on her. If Duncan could touch her then who was to say he hadn’t done just that? After all, the rest of them had. Why should the Scotsman be any different? “How am I looking at you, Duncan?”

The last time Duncan MacLeod saw Callestah she was five years old and a lot happened in 52 years. Something drove her to those drugs and to Andrew F. Hartley. Duncan was determined to find out what it was before they parted company. “I don’t believe that I like what you’re thinking.”

“What’s that?”

Duncan took a step toward him. “Listen to me, I don’t know who you are or why she married you but I know who I am. I loved that little girl. Right up until the day Aphrodite took her away from here I would have protected her with my own life. I still would. I never, ever, touched her in any manner even approaching inappropriate.” Duncan took another step and looked him up and down. “I don’t know about you, but I’m no pedophile.”

Looking in Duncan’s deep brown eyes Daniel believed him. “I’m sorry, Duncan. I’m tired I didn’t mean to offend you I’m just….”

“Looking out for your wife as well should. I trust we have a better understanding between us?”

“Yeah, we do. Thank you for your help.” Daniel realized he was over reacting. Certainly not everyone who came out of Callas’ past could be bad. Maeve was all right and for all of his faults Ares still loved her. Not that Daniel would ever forgive Ares for what he did. No, not by a long shot. Her kids were pretty cool too…all of them.

“I see there’s a lot to catch up on.” Duncan said and held out a business card out to Daniel. “I’ll be back later if you need me in the mean time, that’s my number.”

“Are you going to stay here, Duncan?” Not that he was upset at the unexpected company.

“Maybe. It is my house. I think we should talk, Daniel.” Duncan looked past him to the sleeping woman on the bed. She’d grown up so beautiful he could hardly believe it. “
for now you should get some rest as well.” Duncan advised and then left.

Daniel was worn and tired so he took Duncan’s advice and lay down next to his wife. Side by side they peacefully slept the rest of the day away.

End Chapter Two
Tarnished Heroes:Detox Mansion
Continue to
Chapter Three